A Shadowed Promise
by Mad Ink
Summary: Madi's back with, quite literally, a brand new bag. Going through the latest portal, she didn't expect Montana to be her latest conquest. But what is it in Montana that she's supposed to find? And why is one character eerily familiar to her?
1. Duty over Desire

**I didn't realize so many people would be excited about this one haha.**

**Why don't we just get out of this way, and I'll do a blanket note.**

**Madi Monotone:**_**I do not own Shadow Kiss, or Richelle Mead, or her work, or her cousin. Again, we should realize how amazing I am on my own.**_

**Richelle Mead:**** …**

**Madi:**** This is why I'm hot! This is why I'm hot!**

**~THEMESONGS ~**

_**Take a Vacation!**_** ~ The Young Veins**

_**.M.I.W.**_

**1. Duty over Desire**

You know, after a bit of thought, I was beginning to realize that there are a few issues in my life.

No kiddies, it's not what you think.

And, if you're one of those strange kiddies that live under rocks for long durations of time, care to let me elaborate? Maybe in a better way than Roscoe Dash could ever? I think it may be possible, though I'm not all that great at judging things of this nature. How about I just give it my grandest whack, and see where that leads us?

I'm Madi, the Rogue.

_Yes_… I know it sounds lame at first, but I'm not done elaborating. I'm not that awesome (yet) where only my name can strike amazement into the hearts of many wannabe adventure-seekers and glory hounds. And yeah, I just admitted I'm one of the biggest glory hounds out there. Sue me.

But, maybe, where I've been, will help you understand how amazing I really am.

I've spent time with some of the finest, most talented angel warriors in their modern day history in downtown Brooklyn. They call themselves Shadowhunters. I fought in a war against demons, received some kickass weapons, and became very close to one certain golden-haired Shadowhunter who is just as obnoxious as me. And no, I don't mean 'close' as in we dated. More like we've decided that we're going to be family in bond.

Then, more depressingly, I went back to an old frontier (for my world, anyways), and made fun of vampires, klutzy brunettes, and ate with werewolves. Then, I fought some of these walking disco balls (hey! I think that was a hint you just missed!), and killed an innocent person as a result of my cockiness. I guess it was then that I should've maybe humbled myself?

Eh, why bother?

And, of course, I went into the world where mutant children played, kicked ass, and enjoyed it (much like myself), with a friend from my world. This was where things had started going… minutely downhill. In the book, one of those crazy doctors shot me up with some awesome serum that made me a bit faster, stronger… you know, the usual. Except, if that stuff mixes with my natural adrenaline, it creates blood upchucking side effects?

I know right? It's amazing!

But… These were not exactly a few of the things I'd call 'issues'.

You see… I needed to get out more.

Yeah, I know. I suppose (as I've been told) only I would say something like that, but it's true. I really needed to get out.

I've been so focused lately on working out, practicing my swords, and writing that I hadn't exactly had much time to spend with friends.

Well, that was changing today.

Today, I was going to hang out with a friend, at the mall, go shopping, eat copious amounts of Chinese food, and then get home and create outfits out of the clothes I bought!

It was any teenage girl's fantasy… or maybe just her normal weekend.

For me, this was not so.

But, oh well. I'd rather not dwell on things like that.

I was in my basement, relaxing, defusing from a heavy workout session with the swords. They leaned calmly against my legs as I sat on the recliner, regaining my breath. My eyes wandered across the eclectic collection of memorabilia from all past decades lining the walls, shelves, piled in boxes, and shoved in corners.

Behind a sketch and color of an ocelot's head – probably bought in the 80's, early 90's, due to the gold, thin frame surrounding it – was a small rucksack I'd scrapped out of one of the many closets filled with wrapping paper and older clothes for some reason my grandmother decided against throwing out.

It was dark brown leather, having a sort of vintage, worn feel. But the weather was strong, durable, as the Italian label on the inside of the flap proved when I Googled it, just for grins and out of pure boredom.

Inside was the Shadowhunter gear Jace had given me a few months ago. A light, durable black tanktop, skin tight black pants, a tough black jacket, and the English riding boots. There was also a silver studded belt (added by yours truly to make it seem more badass) and the ever so mysterious Fae-Bag I was given the last time I'd gone playing around in The Mortal Instruments. I'd contemplated on opening it a few times, but always decided against it, a strange fear making me not want to deal with the magic.

It was now March, and there hadn't been a _real_ portal since November, which was worrying me. I wasn't exactly in the mood to let this adventure end. It was fantastic fun thus far.

_**.M.I.W.**_

After showered and cleaned, I was downstairs again in a pair of blue shorts, a black tank top, and a thin shirt that was screen printed from the cover of a book by an all time favorite author F. Scott Fitzgerald. I also had my red, flowered sunglasses, and a pair of gray vans.

Oh yes, Madi can accessorize.

I crouched down and reached out to my rucksack, where I left my money in case of portal hopping emergencies. I paused though at the sight of silver glinting in the fluorescent light. It was a ring. A simple silver band with interesting markings in a pattern around it. It was a gift, sent via Jace Lightwood, by a certain Fae Knight.

Meliorn.

I sighed. I'd written him a letter just after I left the world of _The Mortal Instruments_ to come back home, explaining everything about me. Mainly how I wasn't from his world, had to get home, and how I managed to fall in love with him after three amazing weeks.

It still made my chest feel incredibly hollow at the thought.

Jace had Runed (I guess I could use it as a verb) me the envelope, just incasing the ring, and actually a letter from himself. In the letter, Jace explained most of the secondary story of my effect on the knight. The day after Jace gave him the letter, Meliorn came to the Institute to ask Jace about my 'portal hopping'. Jace said he'd explained it as clearly as he could, and Meliorn just handed him the ring and told him to give it to me. He also said that Meliorn told Jace what I had been up to and how I managed to get that potion. He thanked me simply, and signed in farewell: _Your Cousin, Jace_.

"Madi!" I heard my mom call from upstairs. "Do you want to go or not?"

I rolled my eyes. What a stupid question.

"Yeah!" I called back. "Two seconds! I just needed to get something!"

I sighed as the door closed, gave the ring a sparing look, and went back to my bag. Just as I was grabbing the wallet, there was a bright flash of blue light, and I looked up immediately. There was a metallic rip that pierced the air, and a portal furled out from empty atmosphere.

I smiled slightly, letting out a sigh. Of course. Why should I ever get a break.

But I shrugged and grabbed the rucksack, slinging the straps on my shoulders and tightening them accordingly. I put on my sunglasses, and walked towards the bright light, ready for any unexpected happening to come my way.

_**.M.I.W.**_

**Ew… It's short. Let's call this a teaser.**

**The outfit's online. I'll post it on the profile.**

**Check out the blog?**


	2. Cold Zombies in the Snow

**Okay, so I only read *whispers intensely* **_**Shadow Kiss**_** *end whispers intensely* and *spirit fingers* **_**Blood Promise**_** *end spirit fingers* so I ended up being **_**seriously**_** misinformed on the whole location of where St. Vladimir's Academy or whatever was supposed to be.**

**I thought it was in Russia.**

***facepalm***

**Not really!**

**ShoutOuts ~**

**klaus-is-epic:**** Sometimes, Klaus, you scare me lol. No, I haven't seen **_**Vampire Diaries**_**, though it did look intriguing.**

**BookNinja15:**** Heya, Fluffy, glad to see you finally showed up. O.o Anyways, I know the chapter was short. Making up for it now? And, yes, the dialogue shall be intensely amazing.**

**~ THEMESONGS ~**

_**Monsters**_** ~ Hurricane Wolves**

_**House of Wolves**_** ~ My Chemical Romance**

**.M.I.W.**

**2. Cold Zombies in the Snow**

They say there are only two certainties in life: death and taxes. Well, there are probably four in mine. Death, taxes (if I live to get the chance), portals, and F. Scott Fitzgerald.

I didn't exactly know where I was, but I knew it was cold.

Like… freezing.

"_Jesus Christ_!" I hissed, immediately throwing off my rucksack, the swords clinging slightly in their black leather scabbards, and letting it drop and crunch the snow I was standing on. I dropped to my knees on the achingly cold snow, and rummaged through my pack. I immediately jerked out my jacket, pants, and the riding boots.

I quickly took surveillance of where the hell I was as I pulled on my jacket, and quickly slipped off my Vans and threw them into the bag, along with my shorts. I pulled on the pants, and then buckled the leather boots that reached just below my knee, and immediately straightened up.

I was in a small, snowy clearing, the sun setting off to the west. It was freezing, but it was at least minutely tolerable now. I continued to look around slowly as I pulled on my rucksack, tightening the leather straps again, the twin seraph blades, Metatron and Sandalphon, were against my back closely, reassuring me. I'd fashioned two holes in the rucksack so I could slip the scabbard's leather straps through it and around to hold them in place. I know, I'm ingenious.

My grip tightened on the straps of the rucksack, and gnawed on my lower lip as I debated on which way to go. I rolled my eyes in indignation, and decided that I guessed my best bet would be to walk west, in the direction of the setting sun, with the hope that maybe there would be a town. There were usually towns west. Big towns. Like Los Angeles, Phoenix, Portland, and Seattle.

I crunched through the snow as I started forward, keeping a relaxed pace. Everything was going to be fine. I had my phone! If it had service in this damn wood, I could call Jace and ask if he could ask Magnus to create a portal or something and get me back home. Yeah, that could work.

I stepped over a fallen log, dead and had a couple of inches of snow on it. That wasn't exactly a comforting sign. That meant no one had been this way. Tracks could tell me that, and there weren't any. Maybe there had been snow that covered them up. Again, not a good thought. Enough snow to cover tracks means enough snow to probably kill me in my sleep tonight. And there was the fact that it was dusk –

_Shut. Up._ I warned myself sternly, and continued in a brisker pace.

_**.M.I.W.**_

So, I had been right about a town being close by. I could see it up ahead. It wasn't big, though, which concerned me slightly. I'd been walking for probably twenty minutes until I came across the smell of smoke, and started towards that.

I now paused at the forest's edge, looking down a large hill, and ahead where the town nestled. If I just slid down this hill, my feet would connect with the sidewalk. And then I could create a glamour or something to that effect.

I did just that not too soon after.

The town was indeed small. I passed only a few people who dared venture out in this freezing weather. They didn't even notice me, some almost running into me because they were walking so fast. Their breath came out in clouds from their scarf-covered mouths. I'd gotten even more used to the cold. Maybe it was the gene enhancer from _Maximum Ride_. Or maybe I was just amazing. Whatever it was, it was certainly helpful.

I continued an easy course as I looked through the town. My stomach was growling in frustration that it had been empty for probably a little more than twelve hours, but I had no idea where to go to solve the problem. That was, until I smelled food cooking as I crossed a couple more blocks.

Pretty much running, I came across a small diner. I smiled brightly at the sight, realizing my good fortune. I walked across the empty street, because so many people seemed to prefer walking than driving, and made my way to the back of the diner, no one being the wiser that there was a girl with a rucksack and two swords ready for the next kickassing adventure she'd gotten herself into.

Yeah… that girl was me.

I kept up the glamour on my swords, but pretty much wiped myself clear of it, before making my way back out of the alley I'd stepped out of. No one still noticed my sudden appearance. They probably had too many other things to deal with. Like the freezing cold weather.

Global warming? Maybe it's not such a bad idea after all.

I pushed open the doors of the diner, making a rather grand entrance compared to most. The bells on the door jingled to announce my arrival, and pretty much all of the diner's occupants looked up to see who the stranger was. They continued to glare icily as I strolled into the place, and took a booth in the back corner.

The townspeople looked like your average trucker group. Beer guts, scruffy beards, greasy shirts and dirtied denim jackets with caps on to hide their greasy locks. Average souls. I realized I was at least _still_ in America with the sight of the American flag on one of the walls. Soothing country music played dully in the background, or as soothing as twangy banjos and singers baying at their misfortunes actually are. If these 'artists' had met me, they'd have real stuff to write about other than their blue jeans, tractors, trucks, church, and the other strangely simple things country singers sang about.

At least the diner was warm. Surprisingly so. I shrugged off my rucksack, and squeezed into the corner, pulling my pack as close to me as possible. By the time I'd taken my seat, a good majority of the people staring went back to their business, and I pushed myself further into the corner, pulling the ends of my jacket closer into me as I huddled near a loud heater in the wall that blew past me with zeal, seeming beyond pleased at its newest form of company.

"Can I help you?" A nasally, slightly disgruntled voice made me jump, and look up at a waitress. She had poorly penciled on eyebrows, her turquoise eyeliner bright against her baked skin, her chocolate hair in frizzy, tight corkscrew curls. Her blush was a little too red, as was her lipstick.

"Um… yeah." I said, looking down at the menu. "How about the, uh… raisin toast with a side of bacon – please."

She smacked a bubble of her bright pink bubble gum as she wrote down my order, seeming bored with everything, adding particularly well to the cliché. "Drink?" She demanded.

"Hot chocolate." I replied shortly, giving the woman the menu, which she snapped up without much hesitation.

"Uh _huh_." She replied shortly, and walked off.

The food came back ten minutes later, and I frowned at the sight.

The bacon was charred to a perfect crisp. The toast was singed and stale. The hot chocolate? If you _must_ know, had ground coffee beans in it.

"You expect me to pay for this?" I demanded as she set the check down. "I don't know about this hick town, but where I come from, this wouldn't even pass for _half_ of a star, and I've eaten some pretty crappy stuff."

She scowled darkly.

"How about two fifty?" I suggested blandly as I pulled my wallet out and placed the money on the table. "You should be lucky you're even getting half price from me. Why don't you give the rest to charity? Though I do think they're standards are higher than _this_."

Before the waitress could say another word, I had my rucksack slung over my shoulder and was squeezing past her. "Should I even ask where the nearest hotel is?" I drawled. "Or would I do better on the streets?"

She snapped up the money and stuffed it in her apron pocket. "If you don't know what's good for you." She growled, supposedly threateningly. "I suggest you leave town."

I snorted. "And I suggest you use a little less makeup, but we can't all have what we want."

_**.M.I.W.**_

It was now eight o'clock at night. It was getting dark out, the stars shining well in the sky because of the little light this town had created. I was still wandering the streets, this time in a glamour, growing more and more tired. Still hungry.

No one was walking the streets now, probably because of the drop of even more temperature. I was beginning to feel the effects of it now. I had my arms folded tightly against my chest as another gust of wind brushed right through me, making my teeth chatter.

Then, I heard a scream.

Well, it was sort of a muffled scream. It was quickly cut off, but not before my newfound 'OMG-someone's-in-trouble-and-there's-probably-something-awesome-that's-attacking-them-and-is-probably-one-hell-of-a-thing-and-worth-killing' instincts had me piqued. I streaked through the cold streets with ease, and my eyebrows furrowed when I heard the sounds of a struggle.

As soon as I rounded the corner of an alley where I'd heard the cry before, in the outskirts of the town, I stopped.

There were about five of them. All pale white skin, their hair clearly visible against it. They were all tall and built with the perfect bodies. They surrounded something, clearly fascinated by it. I rested one of my hands on the brick wall as I continued to watch, trying to figure out what that thing exactly as with the dim, orange street lamps.

One of them suddenly let out a throaty snarl, and that was when I realized these things probably weren't all that human. They didn't wear jackets, only tattered clothing. Rather strange for freezing cold weather…

Then, there was a wet _thud_, and my eyes connected with glassy brown ones. The eyes of the waitress in that diner, blood pouring from her.

Oh, God, not again. If I was where I thought I was, there would definitely be hell to pay.

"All right then." I said languidly as I separated myself from the glamour. The people spun around, looking at me with… red eyes.

Okay, hell should start handing over the cash and magical, evil abilities.

"I realize that I'm a bit new in town." I went on. "But I think that cannibalism is still illegal in the United States."

"Feisty little human." One of them sneered, and I rolled my eyes, stepping into the center of the alleyway. The woman who'd spoken was pale blonde with large red eyes, filled with hunger. "She smells so _alive_. So _fresh_."

"Oh yes," I agreed, "Every time I meet someone, they always comment upon my freshness. Sometimes I just feel like a Febreeze."

The blonde snarled, baring her teeth. Two sharp, pointed fangs extended.

Right… maybe not the vampires I was expecting. But still vampires. And probably even more of a delight to kill.

One of the boys let out a guttural growl. "Someone needs to put this little rat –"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" I interrupted. "_Rat_? Are you kidding me? I think I could pass for something a little more… fantastic. Try _cat_, or _panther_ – even _rabbit_ would work with me. But I'm not a rat. I don't like sewers, I know I look invincible, but I don't think I could survive eating poison, and my palette is certainly more refined than to eat garbage like the stuff that's sold in this place."

Another girl, this time with brownish hair, hissed. "Let's kill her."

I pulled out my swords, the ends gently hitting my wrist guards Jace had given me just after the battle when Jonathan had attempted to hold me prisoner, because the blades always nicked my wrists. They were the custom Shadowhunter black, and went up to my forearms. I'd tied them on just as night was falling. I smiled as I flipped both swords in my hands, just to get the feel of them again. "I'd _love_ to see you try."

They all snarled in agreement, and sprang forward super fast.

Personally, I was counting my lucky stars that I had proper training to deal with these things. I had a feeling this was going to be a reoccurring thing.

"_Metatron_! _Sandalphon_!" I cried as I lashed out to the first brunette boy that clashed my way. Metatron struck true at the boy's neck, giving a fine slice, while I lunged with Sandalphon and stabbed one of them in the stomach.

As I'd known, the two vampires were only wounded, and I flipped my swords as the blonde girl streaked for me. I noticed another out of the corner of my eye come at me too, and I immediately ducked. The vampires clashed above me on accident, and I used both swords to swipe at their knees. They both buckled as I jumped up, crossed my swords across my chest, and swung.

Both of their heads fell and rolled along the ground. I spun around at the last three vampires. Tne I'd wounded in the stomach snarled and ran at me, as well as the other unscathed one.

I ground my teeth, my heart pounding heavily in my chest, and I began to feel the effects of the super serum leak into my veins and brought me a little more focus into the fight.

I shrugged to the side as one super fast fist came crashing my way. I swung out with Sandalphon, effectively chopping off the person's arm. It cried out in agony, and I gave it no other moment to spare as I chopped off its head.

The fourth vampire snarled at me, a brunette girl, her fangs glistening with the blood she'd consumed. It charged not even a second later, catching me off guard. The brunette girl pushed me into a wall. I stumbled to keep my balance, clinging tightly to the hilts of the blades. She sidled up to me, and I pursed my lips when I noticed how tall she was. Probably like a two and a half head height difference.

"Silly little child." She cooed. "Thought you could kill some vampires. Who do you think you are?"

I snorted and flung out Metatron, slicing her stomach. She gasped in surprise, her fangs jutting out in pure anger, face twisting in rage and pain. As she fell, I held my swords in an 'x' at her neck. "They call me Madi." I stated shortly. "I'm the Rogue."

And her head was chopped off just as easily.

I quickly stepped over her body, and ran out into the cold, somewhat icy street to locate the next vampire.

Except he was gone.

I gripped my swords tighter as I looked around. He wouldn't just run away, would he? Possibly. Vampires are coldhearted bastards, right? Except for Simon from _The Mortal Instruments_, but he doesn't count because Simon is a nice guy and overall cooler than any walking disco balls or these Average Joes.

"Over there!"

I spun around to see the brunette vampire with the sliced neck, blood pouring from his wound, pointing at me. He had a smirk in his eye, and I felt my chest grow cold. I tightened my hold on the seraph blades, their light shining brighter.

My heart pretty much crashed into my stomach when I saw five, six, seven… nine more of them join the sides of the wounded vampire.

Ready?

Ready?

"Oh shit." I breathed.

I threw my swords into their scabbards, turned tail, and started booking it. I heard the vampires give chase, my heart racing in my chest. I let the serum take full effect, let it steal my breath away and make me stumble, and let it have complete control. The power in my body was exquisite, and I ran like no one had ever seen a white girl run before.

I was a great distance away from the town, but it seemed like the vampires had become bored with the game of chase. Even though I was sure of all of my fantastic qualities, I knew I was not faster than ten vampires on the hunt.

They surrounded me, making me skid to a stop. Snow flurried at my immediate stop, and I spun and connected eyes with all of the vampires, the one with the slit neck (that was starting to heal) smiled at me with sickening malice. I reached back and pulled out my swords, not even having to be ordered to take light.

I ground my teeth together and narrowed my eyes. "All right." I bit out. "Bring it."

But then the weirdest thing happened.

There was a battle cry, and I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion, along with most of the vampires. We turned to the side to see eleven or so people, running at us with glinting, stubby, silvery… sticks?

"What the hell?" I demanded.

One of the men, tall and built like a soccer player, struck first, killing one of the vampires by stabbing it with the silver stick thing.

I raced at the first vampire to attack the guy, quickly disposing of it without a single thought. The vampires cried out in surprise, and ran at me. I smiled and bucked after it, but one of the other strange people with silver sticks jumped in front of me.

Uh… Okay…

I spun around to see another one attempting to go after the first target it saw, and I ran after it –

"Watch out!" That one guy cried, grabbing my shoulder and pulling me behind him. He immediately went ham on the vampire, leaving me more confused than ever.

"Hey, what –" I started off, but found myself clashing with another vampire. The one I'd wounded. He grabbed the blades of my sword with his hands, causing them to bleed. I wrenched the swords out of his hands, and they immediately went to my neck, causing us both to fall. I took most of the impact, my back chilling with being on the snow. I used my swords and clipped him on either of his sides, making him howl in protest and loosen his grip.

He snarled in anger, but I kicked him in the stomach, making him fall backwards. One of the weird warriors started towards it, but I flung out Sandalphon in an attempt to stop him. "Wait, I got it –!"

And my next enemy was stabbed by the silver stick by another warrior. This time a woman. She turned around and clapped me on the shoulder. "Stay out of the way!" She called, and went back to fighting.

I shook my head and furrowed my eyebrows, gesturing the universal sign of 'what the hell', waving my arms out in front of me with swords in hand.

As the last of the vampires died (not by me), I was now surrounded by these new warriors with shiny sticks. I flipped my swords, just baiting them to hit me with their finest shot. I'd show them a real situation.

"Who are you?" I demanded.

They didn't say anything, completely stoic and unmoving. I glared at them.

"I'm not afraid of you." I said, allowing myself to get a little frostier.

"You should be." One of them spoke.

Then, there was a sharp pain in the back of my head, and it was light's out.

_**.M.I.W.**_

**See? I told you I would be amazing enough to give you a slightly longer chapter. :)**

**Are you excited now? I know I am. xD**


	3. Upgrade

**READ IF YOU WANT TO!**

**You know, I just don't even remember my schedule for cranking out stories. So… these will probably just come when they may. So this story will be done relatively quickly if I keep at it.**

**I'm also working on a **_**Lord of the Rings **_**fanfic, because I've managed to become infatuated with Legolas and his supreme awesomeness. I'll tell you when the first chapter comes out, since it's still in the works and I'm trying to figure out what to do with it. But! It shows romance so… you get to see that… Again, I'll let you guys know.**

**And… I'm getting bored with the Blog. Just tell me if you guys go on there. I don't really care. It's kind of just there for the music and… yeah… even then the music list is always changing, so I'll just link it up on the profile or something.**

**ShoutOuts ~**

**BloodRaven:**** Hey! Thanks a lot for your comment. You're too kind, really. :D**

**BookNinja15:**** Sup, Fluffeh. And hell yes to a fight scene! Gotta bring out the badassness. Don't worry about Madi, she'll be fine. She needs to be knocked out every once in a while to be put back in her place. Sometimes I just enjoy beating her up. xD**

**klaus-is-epic:**** Lol, you don't scare me too badly. And I'm glad that guy is moving too. Sounds like a prick to me. ;P**

**~ THEMESONGS ~**

_**The Ghost Inside**_** ~ The Broken Bells**

_**.M.I.W.**_

**3. Upgrade**

My breathing was hot and muffled against the thick fabric that was covering my head. You know where you're under the covers or something, but you still know there's light? Well, that's kind of the situation I was in at the moment.

It was cold. Yes, frustratingly cold still, because the jackasses took my jacket and my stuff that they considered 'not safe for me to have'. I was sitting in a cold metal chair, and my forearms would brush against the bottom of a stone cold, metal table every time I tried to move them up.

I heard voices, talking about me of course. There were only about three I could decipher. One deep, low, soothing, a man's. Another sharp, a woman's medium pitch and demanding. The last medium men toned and smooth, though he spoke quickly in whispers of excitement. He was the one who suggested torture methods.

Knowing worlds as well and good as I, you pick up a few things. Like, they were just going to tell me anyways. Because, believe it or not, sometimes life can be just as predictable as that. Unless this is a government thing, which I certainly hoped wasn't. Then I could be given the Chinese Water Torture, which wasn't really all that treacherous, as it was just annoying.

Trust me, you learn things when Googling too!

"What should we do with her?" The woman's voice demanded.

"She killed a Strigoi." The deep man's voice hissed, closer to me. "She could be of use to us."

When he bumped the table lightly, I knew he was directly across from me.

Strigoi?

Maybe I should stop ignoring them now and figure out what the hell I'm doing here. "Er… yeah. Hi? I'm right here." My voice too was muffled against the fabric. "Why don't you just ask me instead of muttering amongst yourselves like a bunch of parakeets in a Petco?"

That earned me the luxury of having the hood jerked off of my head. I blinked in surprise at the sunlight coming from windows that caused tears to form in my eyes. My hair flew up in a whoosh, and then fell in front of my face in a mess.

"Aw!" I groaned, pulling up my hands (which were bound with some sharp wire thing) to smooth down my hair and brush it out of my eyes. "You made my hair all static-tastic! Thanks a lot."

"You should have more things to worry about than your hair, _human_." The woman, who was in her prime age, by the looks of it, stated icily. She still looked incredibly awesome though. Built, tough, lean, strong.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." I sighed, dropping my hands. My hair was still filled with static. "Maybe I should consider thinking about what you backwood-wannabe-vampire slayers are doing staking – no pun intended, of course – a claim on what was rightfully my kill."

My eyes looked over the group. There were in fact five. The last two were motionless and guarding the door with a serious look in their eyes. Silver stick things – which I assumed were stakes now – were still possessed by the strange people in black.

I snorted. "What is this? The _Buffy Occult_?"

Sometimes it's nice to be able to whip out the Vampire Insult cards. They do tend to pile up.

"What are you?" I finally tracked the deep voice to a dark haired guy. In fact, it was the one who had killed the vampire I was going to. Tall, built like a soccer player, dark hair and equally dark eyes.

I rolled my eyes and scoffed. "Original. Ten points deducted already."

"What are you doing here?" The younger guy piped up.

"Twenty!" I sighed in exasperation. "Now, where are my rucksack and my jacket? Oh yeah, and my swords? They light up. None too hard to miss. I'm not going to be playing your stupid game if you aren't creative enough."

Yes, I know, my way was slightly unorthodox to try and pry information out of them. But, it was also the best way to keep my identity a secret if these were book baddies. To be honest, I wasn't quite sure where I was.

Wait…

"Oh, shit!" I laughed. I attempted to smack my forehead with one of my hands, but they were bound (how quickly the mind forgets), so it ended up being that I hit my head with both. "_Duh_!"

I smiled at the people, now realizing who they were, just not exactly where I was… But I could take care of that.

"Strigoi?" I asked, just to make sure. "I killed five or six Strigoi?"

The one dark haired guy who started off this conversation nodded, slowly. "Yes…" He answered, "But I don't –"

"Where am I?" I asked. "Like… state-wise, and then the name of this," – I looked around to see it was a cold, office-like setting – "establishment."

They continued to stare.

I rolled my eyes and snapped my fingers. "Any day now." I suggested.

"Montana!" The young guy quickly offered, who was getting glared at by the other four in the room. "St. Vladimir's Academy!"

He marched right up to me, a sneer plastered to his face. He glowered down at me, and I raised an eyebrow. His hands rested on the table as he leaned closer. "You could die here," he said in an attempt to sound menacing or something, "and no one would hear your screams of agony."

I choked back a laugh, which made him look confused. "Is that supposed to be your 'yeah, I'm a badass' look? Because, in all honesty, bro, you kind of look like you're constipated." I smirked at his appalled expression and crossed my legs at the ankle.

"And 'screams of agony'?" I continued, "What the hell is that? I can't even describe how much of a tool you just sounded like then. What kind of academy is this if you don't teach your students to threaten people correctly –?"

A sharp pain reverberated down my spine at the contact, making my vision blurry. I fell off of my chair with the sheer force of it. The kid (well, he was older than me but the youngest in the group, so…) hit the side of my head with his stake.

"What the fuck?" I demanded incredulously as I staggered to my standing position once again. "You obviously have no idea who you're messing with right now."

"Then who are you?" The dark haired one demanded as I bucked at the guy who hit me. He flinched back somewhat involuntarily, and I quickly hit his stake so it flew across the room and hit the wall, nicking its gray paint. "Speak now!"

I smirked as the guy ran off to get his weapon, and looked at the dark haired one evenly. "My name is Madi Verdantia. I'm part of the most obvious elite. I am a Rogue, a traveler not really belonging in one world or another."

"You know of Strigoi?" He pressed. It was more of a statement than a question.

I nodded. "My people and I are… well versed in the world's many phantasmagorical obscenities." I looked at the guy who was now picking up his stake and walking back to the group. "And that's how you use an epic vocabulary." I informed him.

"Then you know what we are…" The dark haired guy said just as slowly as the young guy scowled and said nothing.

"Yes." I replied. "The Deh… the Duh… the… Derrr… The half vampires. You protect the Mor… Morori… Mormoraye… Agh, just screw it. The mortal vampires that use some weird voodoo magic. Sorry, I never exactly paid attention in the course. Now, uh… Who are you?"

"Hold on, hold on!" The young guy snapped. "How did you get here?"

"Well, obviously, you kidnapped me." I snapped. "Geez, I swear the human race is becoming more and more stupid. Why can't I be thrown into something cooler like _Lord of the Rings_? Epic fight scenes all the time man, that's where it's at!"

"You didn't answer the question." The woman intervened. "How did you get here?"

_Oh, portal coming out of nowhere. The usual._ I wanted to say.

"I was… kidnapped."

"Oh really?" The younger man asked incredulously. "Since you're of the most obvious elite –"

"Hey," I snapped. "Chillax. There's no need to be hostile. If you must know I was surrounded by ten men from a place you should never want to go. I'd rather not discuss it. They brought me here… to Montana… and dropped me in the middle of a forest."

The woman, oldest of the group, raised her eyebrows in surprise. I shrugged. "Trust me, this happens a lot."

_As in not really?_ I thought to myself.

They continued to stare in slight awe.

"There are more things in these worlds that you will probably never understand." I said slowly, calmly.

Still staring.

"You know, I'm not all that busy." I suggested. "Maybe I could help out a little bit?"

"You fight," Dark haired guy started and I turned to him. He cleared his throat slightly and started again. "The way you fight is different."

"As I've been told, and as I know." I nodded. "We Rogues have no formal training. No teachers, no academies. We go by experience. Too often are most of us killed because we don't know how to cope or pick up on what to do. Sad, but true."

"Doesn't your kind have any order?" The woman asked, sounding slightly appalled.

"I've only met one of my kind in person." I admitted. "We do not cross paths often. Something tells me we aren't meant to."

Ah, go gifts of magnificent bull shitting, go!

The woman turned to one of the guards. "Get her things." She ordered, then turned to the young guy. "And get something to unbind her hands."

Both scrambled out in less than five seconds.

I laughed slightly. "And then there were three… Maybe you could tell me who you are now." I suggested.

"I am Headmistress Ellen Kivora." The woman informed me, turning to gesture to the tall dark haired man. "And this is Dimitri Belikov."

I raised an eyebrow as I regarded Dimitri Belikov, not exactly sure how I should react. Go completely fangirl? No, no… I had never felt a need to fawn over the awesomeness of Belikov when I read one and a half of the books. I didn't particularly enjoy him as a character. Who reads westerns, for starters?

He looked at me equally with dark eyes, a spark of confusion running through them. This Headmistress continued to talk though, as if she weren't aware of my studying. I only listened faintly as I watched the way his muscles would coil under his skin when he moved, the perfect physique of him clad in black clothing, looking like a true warrior. Almost Nephilim in a few respects. The silver steak hung at the belt loop in the hip of his black Dhamphir pants, glinting slightly in the light whenever he moved.

"You would live as a guest here." Kivora suggested. "We have many rooms available. You look rather ill as well. We could get you to a nurse as soon as you're settled."

"Oh… no…" I answered politely as I looked up at the older woman. "Just a room is fine, maybe a tour later."

"Our days start at eight o'clock in the evening." Headmistress Kivora said. "It's only twelve in the afternoon now. Perhaps a tour would be better in order at that time. Then you could get your rest."

"That would be lovely." I admitted with a sigh, standing up when the younger guy marched into the room with a none too pleased look on his face. The cut through the binds easily with a sharp knife, and I rubbed my reddened wrists in relief.

Well, upgraded from hostile threat to guest of St. Vladimir's Academy couldn't be all that bad, I guessed.

_**.M.I.W.**_

**Okay, I'm getting flustered. Is St. Vladimir's Academy in Russia or Montana? Everything inside of me is saying Russia, but I don't know…**


	4. Angry Familiars

**STOP!**

**Read…**

**I'm just putting these out as soon as I finish them, because I'm probably not going to have time during the week to post the chapters.**

**Okay, I just posted the first chapter of the **_**Lord of the Rings**_** fanfic on my friend's account, because she never really uses it. It's about Legolas! Whoot! If you're bored, check it out. The username is Mrs(.)VirgilParker.**

**And yeah… Virgil Parker is the name of my character from my book. My friend likes it so much she wanted first dibs on the username. ***_**facepalm**_*** Why are all of the people I hang out with capable of being weirder than me?**

**Hey! Thanks for the comments guys! You are amazingly nice!**

**ShoutOuts ~**

**Crazy4MadHatter:**** Lol, you can call me whatever. Just call me Mad Ink or Ink, because I'm not Madi haha. I enjoyed the book series because I thought it would be interesting to put Madi into, so it's all good! And Meliorn… ***_**Madi sighs wistfully in background**_*** Well, that question will be answered…**

**BookNinja15:**** I feel really bad that your floor keeps getting molested by that chair. If he/she needs a restraining order, my mom is a legal assistant. Thanks for the input on Montana, **_**and**_** the pronunciations of the vampire names. I seriously couldn't get those… And anything for you, Fluffy!**

**klaus-is-epic:**** It's not you! It's me! I'm not easily intimidated by people. I hang with a rather curious crowd, so I'm used to you and your weirdness xD. And I've written a book and currently working on its sequel because it's going to be a series. Looking for agents is a bitch though haha. If you know any agents, tell them about me!**

**~ THEMESONGS ~**

_**Chop and Change**_** ~ The Black Keys**

_**Look at Me Now**_** ~ Chris Brown ft. Busta Rhymes and Lil' Wayne**

_**.M.I.W.**_

**4. Angry Familiars**

I jolted at the sound of a fearful cry right outside my window, my eyes snapping open in the next instant. I threw off the light blanket that covered me, and jumped to my knees. I turned to the window, moonlight seeping through the curtains. I shoved these said curtains aside and pulled open the window, hearing the cries of battle below. Cries of frustration, grunts of pain, et cetera.

My eyebrows furrowed at the sight of someone small fighting off two larger masses, in front of some other small form, probably protecting them. What the hell was going on at St. Vladimir's?

I glanced around. The room I was in was a small one. Like a dorm room, except cut in half. There was a simple bed, a desk, a closet with a small chest, and a bathroom. Kind of like the Brooklyn Institute and Hogwarts thrown together. If I ever actually read a _Harry Potter_ book, there may have been some fact to have at that.

There was a mob around the fighting trio now, cheers and cries of sympathy ringing out and reaching my ears. I decided to stop wondering what was going on, since it didn't seem all that big of a deal, and my thumb traced around the ring on my left ring finger. I looked down at the silver band, sinking to a sitting position on my bed. I pulled it off and turned it around in my fingers, studying its intricate yet simple designs. It was beautiful.

But, it worried me that this was all that Meliorn had given me in response to my rather… conveying letter. If this was supposed to be some symbol of devotion, I wasn't getting it. Sure, I knew if a guy liked me. That was easy. It was just figuring out if I could get an angle. If the guy was interesting enough to keep me interested. Usually, they were easy to read within a few hours of talking to them. But, Meliorn wasn't like that. He didn't try to flirt, he wasn't obvious. That's what I liked most about him. There was always the underlying current of me knowing he liked me, but even then those moments were few and far between.

If he was going to be coy, I supposed, I would let him play his game. Let him spin his web around me, if that's what he was doing, and let him catch me. I wasn't planning on going anywhere when he was involved. I wasn't going to play games, dance and fight and play and flirt. I was going to let him come to me and make sure he knew I didn't have any pretenses about it.

There was a soft knock on my door, barely audible when it came to the roar of success from outside. "Come in." I called as I quickly put the ring on my finger, and looked up to the opening door.

It was none other than Dimitri Belikov who stopped in the threshold of my room, looking at me. I looked down at the pajama bottoms and T-shirt some nice Dhamphir let me borrow, realizing I was probably underdressed compared to his training outfit.

"Um… sorry." I said as I slowly stood up. He continued to watch me. "I'm not used to the time reversal here."

"It's all right." Dimitri nodded.

I walked over to the drawers, pulling out my Shadowhunter gear that was magically washed and folded. Kivora said that she had someone take care of that while I was sleeping.

"You're… Dimitri, right?" I smiled at him.

He inclined his head. "Yes. I am sorry about our first encounter."

"It wasn't that bad." I consoled as I then pulled out my riding boots, almost tripping over my swords in the process. I glanced up to see him shuffle only somewhat awkwardly.

"Yes, well… I was the one who knocked you out."

"Ah… Well, don't worry about it." I shrugged. "I'm kind of used to it. I'll be out in less than two seconds changed and ready to go."

Dimitri nodded and walked out while closing the door behind him. I quickly turned my attention to getting dressed, and brushing my teeth. I brushed through my hair before pulling it back into a ponytail, letting the fringe fall back into its proper place. I enjoy my hair when it's agreeable.

I fastened only my swords around my shoulders in its 'x' formation, tightening the straps accordingly. I was looking towards the door when I heard a strange jingling noise, almost musical, turning my attention to the floor.

The Fae-Bag presented by the Seelie Queen to me had fallen out of one of the holes I used for the straps of my swords. I bent down to pick it up, feeling its strange heartbeat pulse in my hands. It held such a strange pull, the decorative beaded bag holding the strange power seemed to be too weak for it. The Queen had only said to open it in the darkest of times, but why not just a quick peek –

A knock on the door quickly screwed that one, and I jumped in surprise. "Madi?" Dimitri's voice asked.

I scrambled to stuff the bag back into the rucksack, and quickly swung the door open and smiled at him. "Ready." I beamed.

_**.M.I.W.**_

Dimitri and I as we walked the grounds of St. Vladimir's Academy. It was still cold, snow falling lightly but not sticking to the ground. Geez, it was supposed to be _summer_.

"So, Mister Belikov," I said as we walked along the grounds towards the church he'd just shown me. "Is there breakfast involved in this tour?"

"Oh, right." Dimitri said, seeming preoccupied. In fact, he had been for the duration of the tour. He always seemed to be thinking about something else, just randomly pointing things out. It was a crappy tour, but I wasn't going to exactly tell him that. In all honesty, I didn't really care either. "Would you like to go now –?"

"What's that over there?" I asked, pointing towards a mass of students.

"Uh…"

I didn't care about Dimitri's probably crappy explanation on that end, and started towards the gathering. I squeezed through the crowd, apparently the older Dhamphir on my heels. "Madi," he called, "Wait –"

And then I found myself looking on a peculiarly familiar scene.

There were two Dhamphirs, trying to attack a blonde pale guy and a girl holding hands with him. Her hair was blonde also. Her gaze was horrified, locked on something else. I immediately tracked her sights to a tan, dark brown haired girl locked in place, staring off into space with a frightened look in her eyes. She was steadily growing paler. Another boy was fighting the two Dhamphirs with a fake stake (geez, we all knew the rhyme was going to happen _sometime_), trying to get the best of them and easily failing.

So I was in _Shadow Kiss_.

I could work with that.

The dark haired girl was still frozen, even as the boy tried to call for help when the Dhamphirs closed in, one taking him down and the other going after the two Moroi (that's what they're called, yes?).

"Who is that?" I inquired, feigning boredom, as I gestured to the girl.

Dimitri gave an uncomfortable cough, clearing his throat. "That's Rose Hathaway, one of the best students at St. Vladimir's."

I snorted slightly when she staggered under the weight of some invisible force. "_Was_." I noted. "What's going on with her?"

"I don't know…" Dimitri said slowly. "But I think Headmistress Kivora is going to find out."

Rose ran towards the two Moroi (who I realized now were Lissa and Christian) and the other Dhamphir (and I don't remember his name), looking like she'd just seen a ghost. Ha ha… Oh yeah, she did. Wow, I must be feeling the effects of being so exhausted.

One of the Dhamphirs who had pretended to be a Strigoi said something harshly to Rose, while the other students were talking excitedly amongst themselves. I frowned slightly at the peeved look in Rose's dark eyes, but nodded stiffly and followed the two Dhamphirs.

Dimitri made an annoyed sound from behind me, and I turned to look at him. His gaze was solely fixed on Rose.

"Hmm…" I said slowly. "Maybe this is just Rogue intuition, but something tells me we should go after them."

He nodded stiffly, going around me to lead the way. I quickly tailed him, turning to meet eyes with jade green ones, twinkling with curiosity.

Lissa Dragomir.

_**.M.I.W.**_

"I told you, I didn't do it on purpose!" I heard Rose's voice snap. Dimitri opened the door slowly, turning to me just as I was walking in.

"Maybe it's best if you stay out here." He said quietly.

"Are you serious?" I demanded in an incredulous whisper. "I've got rights to be in there. You have no idea what –"

"Everyone knows you wanted to be Lissa's guardian." Kivora reminded Rose, "This was a test –"

"Belikov, come on." I pleaded.

"But I'm going to be Lissa's guardian." Rose argued. "_Everyone_ knows it. Why are you teaching me to be someone else's guardian when she's going to pick me? There's no logic behind it!"

Why did she remind me of someone?

Dimitri sighed loudly, and held the door open for me as I walked in.

I was welcomed with the sight of another office-y area, this time set up like a large conference room. There was a long table, with many chairs, but none of the Dhamphirs or Moroi sat in them, save for Rose, who was looking more and more annoyed. Dimitri pulled me with him to stand against the wall. I began to bide my time for the perfect moment.

"Because." Kivora snapped. "You need to learn how to work with Moroi who don't have a bond with you. You needed to be trained like any other Dhamphir. Obviously you couldn't handle it, and wanted things your way –"

"It wasn't even like that!" Rose growled. "I just froze! I'm still new at this!"

"You did it on purpose." Kivora replied just as icily.

I decided this was the time to make a grand entrance. I pulled out one of the chairs two down and across from Rose and sat down, propping my feet up on the table. Everyone turned their attention to me. I noted Rose's curious expression out of the corner of my eye, ignored it, and raised my eyebrows to Kivora. I laced my fingers together and rested my knuckles against my lips.

"What on earth is going on?" I inquired.

"This isn't exactly of your concern, Rogue." The Headmistress informed me icily.

"Then allow me to make it of my concern." I smirked as I dropped my hands and let them rest on the armrests, and nodded to Rose. "I was there. To me, it looked more like a mistake than anything else. There was nothing premeditative of what had happened in her eyes."

Kivora set her lips in a fine line, her gaze steely.

"I know I would vouch for her." I suggested. "But, I suppose would also agree with your views on a far more outlandish reason as to why she would take pause. She shares a strong bond with the blonde girl Moroi. You don't have to be blind not to see it. But, at the same time, you seem to train these…" I swiveled the chair to look Rose up and down, "_children_ to have a strong work ethic. Miss Hathaway, I believe, wouldn't be so stupid as to let it all go down the drain in one fell swoop."

Headmistress Ellen Kivora seemed to think this over, nodding slowly.

I smiled superiorly. "I knew you'd see it my way."

"Not precisely." Kivora argued, but I knew she'd lost. "But in a few points."

"Naturally." I mused while rolling my eyes.

After a few sharp orders and somewhat lighter reprimanding on Rose's behalf, the guardians and Moroi alike leave, save for Dimitri, Rose and I.

"Who are you?" Rose demanded as the door closed and left the three of us alone.

Dimitri took a seat two seats down from me, creating a sort of triangle between us. I smiled slightly. "Madi Verdantia, Rogue and temporary guest at St. Vladimir's Academy. You don't have to thank me."

"I wasn't planning on it." Rose snapped, her jaw tight and chin set at a stubborn angle. That was familiar too.

My grin hardened. "No, I was sure you weren't."

_**.M.I.W.**_

**So Madi has finally met Rose. How do you think this is going to turn out? Comment about it!**


	5. Looking in a Mirror

**I need a Beta. How the hell do I get one?**

**So… I'm quite excited about this chapter even though it took me, like, five years to upload it. School has been crazy, I figured out what to do with the latest chapter in my novel, and that Legolas story is turning out to be a lot more research than I thought it would me. But everything is fun. I enjoy writing in different ways.**

**ShoutOuts ~**

**klaus-is-epic:**** Okay, is this soon enough for your addiction? Lol, well, at least I tried to make you feel better. I see I fail at life. xD**

**Crazy4MadHatter:**** Yeah, but Rose'll come around… eventually… maybe…**

**BookNinja15:**** I'm pretty sure Christian has blonde hair… I'm checking now. Oh dammit, my bad. And the brilliant dialogue is sure to come!**

**~ THEMESONGS ~**

_**Dangerous and Sweet **_**~ Lenka**

_**Anthem**_** ~ Good Charlotte**

_**.M.I.W.**_

**5. Looking in a Not-So-Misshapen Mirror**

You know, I have always had a problem being the new kid.

Like, you have to eat alone at the lunch table, because pretty much your only friend a.k.a. some tall, dark, and handsome important-vampire-slayer guy has a few issues to work out.

Meaning, he was too scared to eat lunch with me while Rose was in the cafeteria. Which is code for me internally screaming a 'WOW ARE YOU SERIOUS? I'M ALL BY MYSELF AND YOU CAN'T EVEN EAT LUNCH WITH ME BECAUSE YOU'RE SCARED OF A _GIRL_?' kind of thing.

And that's how I ended up in the cafeteria filled with students eyeing me weirdly as I drug my fork through some ugly looking mashed potatoes. Honestly, I didn't really like mashed potatoes, but the lunch lady looked kind of desperate to get rid of them, so I took pity on her. I wasn't in the mood to experience what would happen if I actually tried it.

So I was left to stare at the very boring looking trey, feeling the eyes of all of the students who went here flicker towards me, wonder who I was, making me all the more annoyed. _This_ is why I was nice to the new kid, because who wanted to feel like this? I swear, people should be as awesome as me –

A loud clatter suddenly made me snap back to reality, and I instantly reached back to grab the hilt of one of my swords, but relaxed when my gaze met two brown eyes that looked slightly irritated.

"Hi!" A bright, cheery voice came across from me. I looked up to see the familiar jade green eyes that belonged to a pale, beautiful face, and light blonde hair. "Do you mind if we sit here?"

I shrugged. "Your cafeteria."

Rose sat next to me, her gaze bored and uncaring. Another guy who I didn't know, but recognized from that fight, sat on my other side. The last Moroi guy with black hair and blue eyes sat next to the blonde girl, scooting closer to her.

"So…" The blonde girl, who I knew was Lissa, smiled. "I'm Lissa, that's Rose and Eddie, and this is Christian. For training Rose is Christian's guardian, and Eddie's mine, but she used to be mine."

Er… okay? I smiled slightly at Christian, who gave a small smile back. "I'm Madi Verdantia, a Rogue."

"What are you doing in St. Vladimir's?" The other guardian, Eddie, asked. "Are you going to help us with the training?"

"Um, no." I smiled. "I'm just passing through. It's an accident that I'm here. I really should be leaving soon –"

"To where?" Lissa asked, her eyes shining with genuine excitement. "What exactly do you do as a Rogue?"

Rose snorted.

I glared at her out of the corner of my eye. I set my fork down and focused on the two Moroi across from me. "A Rogue is not exactly definable. We all know and do different things. I myself am a consultant for various clients, and offer my services in any field I can."

"So, basically, you're a hitman." Rose summarized. My smirk dropped to a scowl. Everyone's eyes widened in surprise except for Rose and I. "I mean, what else do you do with those swords?"

She reached forward to touch the hilt of Sandalphon. I immediately jerked back, my back hitting the other Dhamphir's shoulder, who shied back in surprise. I pulled my right hand up sharply and smacked her hand away. Her dark eyes seemed even darker as a flash of anger struck through them.

"Step off." I informed her sharply. "You're messing with some dangerous knives."

"Kind of jumpy, aren't you?" She mused.

"Trust me." I told her. "When you've seen as many things as I have, you would be too."

"Right." She retorted sarcastically, rolling her eyes and flipping her long, chocolate brown hair over her shoulder. "Because you've seen _so much_. How old are you? _Fourteen_?"

"Seventeen, actually." I corrected her, and slowly settled back into a more comfortable game. Trading insults is like a second language to me, here. I looked away from Rose, focusing on the large cafeteria. "What does this place do, anyway? So far, I've come to the conclusion that you guys can barely fight, you're taking care of vampires that can easily kick your asses –"

"It's our job to guard them." Eddie said, looking worried.

"Poorly, might I add." I nodded to him with a smile, but it really came from the delight of seeing Rose's gaze turn more and more smoldering. "So, are those little stake things all you fight with? Personally, I think you could do a little more damage with these –" I jerked my thumb back to my swords, "– but, hey, that's your agenda. If you want to get killed for no reason, who am I to stand in the way of that."

"You think you can fight better?" Rose snarled.

I grinned. "Not think. _Know_."

"How about we test that then." She suggested as she slowly stood up. "Right. Now."

More and more students were turning towards our table. My grin turned into a smirk. I stood up quickly and moved away from the table. "Would it be too cliché if I said we should take this outside?" I asked innocently as I flipped my hair.

Both of us pretty much raced each other outside. It was freezing – especially when you don't have your jacket on you – and a light flakes of snow fell from the sky, layering the ground with an even thicker inch of snow.

Rose and I walked out into the snow, each of us fixing the other with an angry glare.

"Rose!" Lissa squeaked, her, Christian, and Eddie running out the cafeteria first, then followed by more students.

Rose let out an angry growl and ran forward.

I had it covered. She was pissed off, or had no skill whatsoever.

I moved to the side, letting her run right past me and ram into the cement wall of the academy. She slumped against it slightly as she turned around and glared at me, fire in her eyes.

The students began to crowd in a semi circle, blocking off the entrance to the cafeteria, starting up the chants of a fight. "Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!" They crowed.

"So," I said as I loosened my stance and unbuckled the seraph blades. I pulled them over my head and dropped them on the ground not too far off. "We're doing this without weapons? Personally, I don't have much of a preference, seeing as I can kill anyone with anything because I'm just that amazing, so I'll let you choose."

"You're so _dead_!" Rose snapped back, and ran at me with a punch going at the speeds of a wrecking ball.

I lifted up my hand to block it, hitting her forearm and swiping it to the side. I curled my free hand into a fist and punched her in the stomach with one hard, quick jab. She let out a puff of breath and staggered back, leaving me to grin superiorly. "So, hand to hand." I agreed. "You have to really think on the fly –"

I jumped up as Rose attempted a spin kick, and dropped as well as she attempted to pull herself up, and mimicked her exact move. My hands immediately felt the biting chill of the snow. My move was more successful, and she was on the flat of her back, leaving an impression on the snow. I jumped up and rested a freezing hand under my chin, pretending to look her over. "Mmhmm…" I noted as she pulled herself up once again. "Maybe you're just having an off day?"

Ducking was easy as her fist came at my face again, then a second one just as easily missed. She growled in frustration, and leapt up and pulled a roundhouse kick.

I was not so lucky in missing this one.

The blow struck my stomach, and I fell hard on my back. The freezing snow didn't seep all the way through my clothes, because Shadowhunter gear was supposed to be that tough. But my bare arms felt the immediate chill. I groaned quietly, my eyes widening in surprise when Rose smirked over me. "Maybe you're the one with an off day." She said darkly, and dove forward to try and hit me again.

I rolled to the side, pulling a somewhat kid up but relied on the strength of my right arm as I twirled around Rose who was kneeling on the ground, and kicked her in the back of the head. She grunted and fell face first on the cement as I finished up the spin and ended up on my feet again.

I slowly stepped back, wiping my hands to get rid of the snow on them, and my eyes met Lissa's. They were filled with many different emotions. Worry for both me and Rose I realized, fear every time one of us managed a blow on the other.

"Best student in the school?" I asked, feigning shock. "Seems a little unlikely now, doesn't it?"

Rose spun around faster than I expected, grabbed my throat in one of her hands, and rammed me into a nearby tree. Somehow she grappled both of my wrists in her other hand, and held them above my head, pinning them against the tree. The pressure from it shook the small trunk, causing the snow that had been collecting on the evergreen branches to fall on us. Tears formed in my eyes as she squeezed.

Now, I think this would be a rather eloquent time to mention how tall Rose is. Because, she's about a head taller than I am, and easily looms over me. We look like complete opposites, except for body type. Both of us looked pretty slim with a thin line of powerful muscle rarely noticed, and we were both pretty much soaked. But she was tall, tan, had flawless skin with wavy dark hair and dark eyes. I was short, pale, had a fine dusting of freckles, with a sometimes unruly mess of curly brownish red hair and brighter eyes. It irritated me that someone could be as pretty as Rose Hathaway and Isabelle Lightwood.

I narrowed my eyes, sucking in a sharp breath when she loosened up slightly, but quickly tightened again. "You're messing with the wrong person." I choked out.

Her eyes glinted at the challenge. "I doubt that. I'm not scared of midgets."

"Yeah…" I said slowly. "Try and think about that when you're on the ground again."

I jerked my left knee up, making her think that I was going to knee her in the stomach. She was gullible enough to believe it, and I pivoted as best I could, and kicked her in the side. Her hold loosened, and I ducked to giving her three hard jabs in the stomach. She grunted and fell back on the ground. I grabbed her wrists in one of my hands as she'd done to me, and pulled my free fist back to deliver the final punch.

"Thought about it?" I inquired, breathless. "Or perhaps you were distracted by Dimitri's Belikov's oh-so attractive body and sensual lips?"

Her eyes widened, but quickly narrowed."

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed instructors breaking through the mass of students and running towards us.

"If you value your future with him, I think we should have a conversation." I suggested, and immediately pulled myself up just as the teachers were about to.

"What is the meaning of this?" My ears fell upon the familiar voice of Headmistress Kivora.

I kept my gaze carefully trained on Rose as two of the Dhamphir instructors pulled her up, but she quickly shook of their holds and didn't say a word. Because, of course, Dimitri Belikov had to be in the mix. He was hanging back distantly, his eyes flickering towards Rose worriedly.

"I was teaching Rose a couple things about hand-to-hand combat." I lied effortlessly. "How sometimes… _emotion_ can get in the way of things."

Only Rose picked up the tip, and nodded as some of the instructors looked at her.

"So… yeah." I said as I looked at Rose. "I think we should go change. I'm soaked and freezing. You can tell me how you kill vampires with those little sticks you carry around."

"Uh, okay." Rose replied, quickly shadowing me as we walked through the mass of instructors. I let her lead the way, though, when it came to finding another entrance to the academy.

_**.M.I.W.**_

**:D**

**Comment…? And how do I find a Beta?**


	6. Information with a Cigarette

**I know it's short! But that's because this is a set-up for a long-ass chapter ahead!**

… **I think.**

**It's always around chapters 5 through 10 that I get in this slump where it just gets obnoxiously boring for some reason. Oh well, sorry if this wasn't exactly what you were looking for. I'm just giving Madi some downtime. Or as much downtime as she'll ever get.**

**ShoutOuts ~**

**klaus-is-epic:**** Hey, thanks, ha ha. Here's yet another installment of your addiction. Hopefully it's what you want!**

**BookNinja15:**** I'll check that out. Thanks for the reply, as always Fluffy.**

**~ THEMESONGS ~**

_**The Lengths**_** ~ The Black Keys**

_**.M.I.W.**_

**6. Information with a Cigarette**

"So…" I said, just to clarify it from my perspective. I turned the silvery stake in my hands. It was heavy, but not too heavy with a simple, bar shape and a point at the end. "You only have this thing to fight with, because apparently this is the only thing you can use to kill Strigoi?"

"Yup." Rose answered as she brushed through her wet hair. "Besides, apparently, your swords."

We had both taken showers, now in our pajamas (well, the ones I borrowed from somebody and she was in hers), and sitting in her room.

"But it's so… small." I frowned, flipping the stake around in my hand. A small smile found its way to my face. "No intentional 'that's what she said' usage there."

Rose belted out a loud laugh, completely carefree and unguarded and I laughed with her. "But, in all seriousness," I admitted, "how the hell do you expect to kill anything with this?"

She sighed loudly, and I smiled in amusement at the realization we were getting into the same conversation again. "I mean," I went on, "You could at least have gotten two."

"Dhamphirs only need one to get the job done." Rose said, making it sound more like an innuendo than anything else. We both laughed quietly at that, and I sighed, sitting on the floor and leaning against her bed.

After a few minutes of contented silence, Rose finally decided to break it. "So…" she said quietly, "You know about me and Dimitri…"

"Mmhmm." I answered distractedly as I twirled the stake around once more in my hands, studying it further. I pressed my finger to the tip and dug in, but once it hurt too much, I pulled back, and started flipping it around again. "Everything works out."

"How do you know?" She asked.

I shrugged. "One of the rules of my consultant work is that I don't reveal my sources. But, you should trust that they're one hundred percent correct."

"Doesn't sound all that trustworthy to me." She stated bluntly.

"Then be lucky you're not paying me." I replied.

She nodded in agreement, and didn't say anything more.

"But, I'll still tell you that it gets difficult, but better again." I informed her. "You guys are meant for each other. It's kind of a 'no-duh' sort of deal. Has Kivora asked you to do counseling, or whatever?"

"_What_?"

"Oh, never mind. That's probably after Dashkov's trial." I said, realizing I was only falling into a deeper and deeper Pit of Doom. Okay, let's trademark that bitch and move on.

"_WHAT?_"

"You and Lissa testify." I informed her mildly. "With the help of Adrian. He gets you in."

"_Adrian Ivashkov_?" Rose pretty much squawked.

I snapped my fingers. "That's the one."

"You've got to be kidding me." She snapped, leaping up from her chair and pacing. "How do you know all of this?"

"It sounds like you're going into hysterics." I mused, not looking up at her. "I could slap you, if you want."

"This just doesn't happen!" She cried out. "I don't believe you!"

"Being a half-vampire _just doesn't happen_ either." I shrugged. "And okay."

"And that's all you have to say? _Okay_?"

"Well, yeah." I looked up at her. "I mean, I don't exactly have proof until it actually happens. Well, wait! I do. You froze in that fake fight or whatever because you saw the ghost of Mason. You two were kind of dating, but you didn't like him like that at all."

Her dark eyes widened even further.

I turned my attention back on the stake. "Told you." I muttered.

"Oh my God, it _is_ true then!" She fell on her knees and scooted closer to me. I immediately shrunk back, holding the stake somewhat defensively now. "What else do you know?" She demanded.

"You don't want to know." I replied.

"Yes I do! I want to know _everything_!"

"I don't know everything!" I quickly defended myself. "That's just it!"

She narrowed her eyes, and they flashed with some emotion I couldn't detect. She suddenly grabbed my wrist and – being much stronger than I – jerked me up, making me drop the stake, and pulled me out of her room.

"Wait! Stop!" I yelped as she raced through the dark hallways with me in tow. In fact, the whole Academy was dark because of the tinted windows. It was actually around eight o'clock in the morning, and everyone in the place as asleep. "Seriously! Where are we going? I don't think it's such a good idea! I don't have my weapons, or my –"

Rose scoffed. "This is the safest place in the world." She informed me quietly as we ran down the stairs. "You don't need your weapons."

I didn't say anything in response, because I was too busy trying _not_ to trip down the stairs and kill myself. One track mind here, people.

_**.M.I.W.**_

The scent of cigarette smoke came at both of us in a large cloud. Rose coughed dramatically – while I was slowly becoming hypnotized – waving a hand to clear the smoke. She grabbed my arm and pulled me in front of a guy in dark jeans, black converse, and a jacket that clung to a well toned, thin body. The hood was up and over a baseball cap, covering his eyes.

"God, why is it that you always have those things?" Rose demanded.

The person shrugged, dragging in more smoke, and blew out again. I smirked.

"So this is the infamous Adrian Ivashkov?" I asked, peering under the cap to see bright green eyes gazing back, brown hair somewhat covering them, an amused smirk of his own on his face. I smiled back. "Personally, I'm not really seeing the die-hard sexiness I was promised."

"Infamous, am I?" He asked as he straightened up to look at me. "And I'd rather not flaunt this die-hard sexiness. Got to keep it reigned in until I can unleash them on my most unfortunate enemies."

"Or unlucky girls." Rose said with a fake cough.

"So, who is this delightful little creature you've brought?" Adrian asked. "And how do I not know her name?"

I shrugged. "I prefer being aloof."

"It does wonders for you." He returned smoothly.

I smiled –

"_Anyways_," Rose said. "Do you think you could get me, Lissa, and her –" she jerked her thumb to me, "– into Dashkov's trial?"

Adrian took in a large drag of his cigarette, and let out a large cloud of smoke in Rose's face, making her cough and step back. I merely stepped closer.

"I can do anything." He said, his green gaze only on me, but answering Rose's question.

I smirked. "Somehow, I believe that." I mused as I reached for the cigarette in his fingers, almost down to the end, and he let me have it. I took in a small drag, and let out a small puff of smoke in his face. He blinked in surprise, a smirk still on his face. "Being royal, and all."

"I like your friend, Rose." He commented. "It's about time you found someone more interesting."

"So, you will?" Rose asked, growing peeved.

Adrian shrugged, watching me as I took the final smoke. "Sure." He answered her dismissively. "What did you say your name was again?"

I dropped the cigarette and squashed it under my foot, noticing the incredulous look Rose gave me. "I didn't." I answered him smoothly, smoke coming out of my mouth in the process, and turned back to her. "So, now that we've established that I'm absolutely legitimate in possibly every way, can we go? I'm kind of tired."

"Um… yeah." She replied, and we left Adrian where he was.

We walked up the several flights of stairs – slowly, this time – and to Rose's room. I didn't walk in and paused at the door. "I wasn't kidding about being tired." I answered her questioning look. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Do you think he'll actually do it?" Rose asked.

I shrugged and nodded. "Positive. He'll do whatever he thinks will make you realize he wants to support you. He's in love with you."

She rolled her eyes. "_Right_."

"No, no, I'm quite serious." I said.

"He just likes me. I don't know what room you were in, but he looked like he just saw the sun come up when you entered the room."

"I'm glad I could be the tool in his attempts to try and make you jealous. But you know," I said conversationally. "I think I owe him. That was the first smoke I ever had."

_**.M.I.W.**_

I sighed as I closed the door to my temporary room. My mouth still tasted like smoke, which I didn't know was a bad thing or not. I mean, the idea of smoking was always, I supposed, appealing. It didn't really matter that I had done it, I certainly didn't feel anything life-changing about it.

I walked into the bathroom and brushed my teeth, the minty toothpaste sharp on my tongue. I brushed my teeth over and over again until my breath was pretty much oozing minty freshness.

As I walked out, I veered from my course away from the bed and grabbed my bag, half dragging it to my bed. My swords clinked on the ground, now back in their original places in my bag. I flopped down unceremoniously on my bed, the bag landing hard on my stomach two seconds later. I paid it no attention, and opened the flap to pull out the strange and ever mysterious Fae-Bag. I set the rucksack in between my side and the wall, and toyed with the bag.

It still drummed with that same weird life force. The need to open it was just as strong as before, but this time I somewhat understood it. Whatever was in this bag had strong magic attached to it, and tried to use that on me. Of course, for some reason, the pull wasn't strong enough to actually make me do it, the Seelie Queen's words still strong in my mind.

_Only open it when you face the darkest of times…_

Yeah, it sounded foreboding and all, so I guess that's what held me back. And the fact that I didn't have an exact need to actually… open it.

Suddenly, another emotion struck me. This time it was a fierce warning that made my stomach clench. The constant, gentle beating of the bag was now faster, shallower. It almost reminded me of a wail of pure anxiety.

That was when the real fear struck hard core.

I felt like there was someone watching me.

Not that whole 'watching you' concept that you get when you're just creeped out and by yourself. This was like, a stalker-slash-serial-killer was watching you kind of thing. A sickening feeling stirred in the pit of my stomach, and then the total despair I'd only felt once before. Like everything you could do was useless, and that life just wasn't worth living anymore. It was frightening, because I knew the feeling unfortunately all too well.

I dropped the bag, and flipped on my side, grappling the blade of one of my swords, Metatron, and pulled aside one of the curtains to let in a strong stream of sunlight. Because my room had been so dim, it blinded me a little, and I blinked. The rays of the sun reflecting off of the gently falling snow didn't help much either.

But then I saw it.

I saw _him_.

I ground my teeth and narrowed my eyes, all of the cells in my body split in two. The strong, macho warrior side was screaming for me to leap out of the bed and go tearing down the stairs, kill the sorry bastard before he killed me. The other side, the side that seemed more effected by the pull _he_ had on me, was wailing for me to stay, don't whisper the name of the seraph, don't let him know I was there.

That side – apparently the rational side, which was quite the shocker – won out. I pulled the curtain back over the window, only a sliver of light shining through, and enough to let me see out. My blade lowered to rest on the mattress as my grip loosened. If he was here to kill me, he would've done it already.

Belial.

The Greater Demon that had started my whole ability to even travel through worlds, and had been the cause of both my misery and joy. So apparently Jace was right. He would just keep showing up, impossible to kill.

He was in his human form. Pale, chalky white skin with noticeable black veins and pale hair. Eyes black as night, no whites to them, no pupils. His true form was just as unattractive. It made me wonder how he could even be in the Academy grounds. Weren't there wards or something?

That was when I realized that the wards in this book were breaking. To think I'd almost forgotten about that. I still glowered outside, shaking my head in disgust.

My heart seemed to literally drop to my stomach, though, when he looked up, his gaze focused on me, even through the small slit I was holding in the curtain. I could see the smile that twisted his features. He lifted up a hand and waved jeeringly, before disappearing in a black mist.

The feeling disappeared in the next moment, emotionally weakening me more than I thought it was. I dropped back from my knees, and stuffed my sword back in its scabbard. I shook my head in disgust, and grabbed the Fae-Bag, feeling its pulse slightly weaker than normal. I stuffed it in the bag and turned on my back and stared up at the ceiling.

I didn't sleep for the rest of the day.

_**.M.I.W.**_

**I think this goes on the list of 'Reasons Why Madi Shouldn't be a Role Model for Young People Everywhere'.**

**I don't know. I kind of like how Rose is the braver of the duo when it comes to sneaking out and stuff like that. We usually see Madi as 'The Boss' because she's around kids that are most times younger than her, but when she's with kids older than her, she's usually an equal measure with them.**

**Case in point, Jace Lightwood (Because he'd a year older than Madi… I think. Probably half a year), Magnus Bane (Who's a bajillion and nine. I asked), and now Rose Hathaway (Who turned eighteen when I was reading **_**Shadow Kiss**_**).**


	7. Fight or Flight

**SUMMER IS HERE! SCHOOL IS OUT!**

**Got an internship to do, and then maybe learn to play guitar, get a tan, dance, write, send out query letters, get rejected, and maybe go to a birthday party? Oh well! This is going to be fun.**

**As you can see, I've got a few things to do this summer, but it won't at all affect my writing, unless an agent accepts my query. Then things might start getting a little shaky. But let's not hold our breath on that one just yet, darlings.**

**ShoutOuts ~**

**BookNinja15:**** Thanks, as always. And Adrian is a beast. He was the only one I could stand in the books, so thereforth he and Madi are going to hang.**

**Klaus-is-Epic:**** Ian Somehalder has weird eyes. That is all I will ever say upon the subject. And, the mystery of the Fae-Bag is…**

**Crazy4MadHatter:**** Thanks a lot! Yeah, Madi enjoys being a badass, though I'm trying to tone that down. Unfortunately, Madi is a narcissistic type, and it does become somewhat impossible.**

**Nyx's Pinky Girl:**** I like your name. Pretty unique. Wow, thank you. It really means a lot that someone just happened to find my stuff. And, yes, Madi is helping me grow an ego of my own, but it is still really nice to hear. I'm glad that so many people find her to be a somewhat endearing character… when she can attempt it.**

**~ THEMESONGS ~**

_**The Breaks**_** ~ The Black Keys**

_**The Difference Between Us**_** ~ The Dead Weather**

_**.M.I.W.**_

**7. Fight or Flight**

I slowly sized up the mini jet that was in front of us, shrugging my rucksack further on my shoulder. It was indeed mini, fitting its name to a 'T', but it was also probably light and super-duper fast!

Yes… That last sentence _was_ supposed to sound like a giggly teenage school girl. Come on, it's me here, I don't sound like that on a daily basis unless I'm talking about –

"I still don't know your name, Mystery Girl." A smooth, low voice informed me. Warm breath washed over the back of my neck that was bare, since I'd put my hair in a ponytail, laced with the light scents of cigarettes and alcohol.

I pretty much leapt out of my skin at that one, and spun around, only to face the smug smirk of Adrian Ivashkov. I narrowed my eyes and let out a slight huff of irritation.

His smile only grew, green eyes twinkling. "Kind of jumpy, aren't you?"

I rolled my eyes in response. "Be lucky I wasn't jumpy enough to give you a new haircut, darling." I muttered, and began to walk towards Rose and Lissa who were hanging near the jet's stairs.

Except Adrian blocked me off by standing in front of me.

I raised my eyebrows in amusement.

"You may as well tell me." He went on. "I'll find out anyway."

Scoffing outright, I moved past him, and started walking. He quickly joined my side though and easily kept pace with me. "Then why should I tell you if you'll just find out anyway?" I asked. "Besides, you don't even care."

He looked slightly affronted. "Then why would I be going through all of this trouble for you?"

"Because you're not doing it for me." I stated. "You're doing it for Rose."

"But I set up her being able to go to the trial in order to prove you right." He argued weakly. "That's something."

I snorted and waved him off. "_That's_ nothing. You did it for Rose, and you know it. You just want to pretend to be interested in me so you can attempt to make her jealous. I'm sorry, but it's not going to work."

"Why?" He asked cynically. "Are you already off of the market?"

I paused at that, and stayed silent. I didn't even know the answer to that. I straightened up, squared my shoulders, and began to walk faster than him.

He, of course, noticed this change in demeanor with his retarded spirit magic or whatever, and sped up to join my side once again. "_Oh_," he said jeeringly, "so there _is_ a boyfriend."

I narrowed my eyes, feeling sadness and anger well up in my chest. "Shut up."

"Whoa…" He seemed to pause, jump out of himself, and become another person entirely. Once flirty, now scientific. "Your aura is different."

"No shit." I growled.

"Yeah." He answered as if my response wasn't warning enough. "At first it was yellow, slightly lined with pink. Content, amused, flirtatious, whatever's your call. But then I mention this boyfriend of yours, and –"

Could he seriously _not_ take a hint?

"That's weird."

"What?" I snapped. "You just realized that talking about people's auras is kind of awkward? Good call! You just won a brand new car!"

He stepped in front of me, almost making me run into his chest. I stopped short though, and glared up at him. His gaze seemed to be that of a different person's. Analytical, curious, thoughtful. He continued to scrutinize me, making me feel my resolve somewhat crumble, but I quickly steeled myself back.

He blinked, and pulled back. "You're a very complex person, Mystery Girl." He admitted calmly.

"Yeah," I sighed as I pushed past him and walked to the plane. "What else is new?"

_**.M.I.W.**_

I clutched the armrests of the plane, sitting rigid in my seat, breathing somewhat erratically.

The landing was rough, nearly sending my nerves into a chaotic shock. I was probably going to have a heart attack if the driver served from the path on the runway one more time.

"Madi…" Rose said quietly from my side. "Are you all right?"

Another rough bump sent my whole body into shock once again, and I gasped in surprise. I gritted my teeth and glared squarely ahead. "Can't this damn pilot learn how to fly the God damn plane?"

"Her aura is black." Adrian informed us _most unhelpfully_ from across the plane. "She's scared of flying. I can hear her gasping from here."

The plane swerved again. My nails dug into the fabric. "Shut _up_, Ivashkov." I snarled.

He merely chuckled (which pissed me the fuck off) but thankfully fell silent after that. What was it with jackasses? Always wanting the last word and all that shit.

When the plane finally coasted to a stop, I was beyond relieved. Flying was the worst thing ever. Wright brothers? I'm going to go back in time and cut your heads off with my amazing seraph blades. Then you'll be sorry…

Everyone in the plane – not that many of us, let me assure you – got up as soon as the door opened. As I walked out of the isle to get to the entrance, I felt my back immediately watched by another older woman reminding me of Headmistress Kivora, Alberta. Unlike Kivora, Alberta didn't seem to like seventeen-year-old, kickassing, smartass punk teenagers that enjoyed living an edgy life.

Yes… this said seventeen-year-old is me.

I shot her a look, and saw her hand go to her stake. I rolled my eyes in response, and hopped down all of the stairs of the plane in order to get away from her faster.

"Some people." I noted with a sigh to Rose, Lissa, Christan, and Eddie as I tightened the straps on my rucksack and joined them.

Rose chuckled. "Alberta still giving you trouble?"

"By the time this is all over, she'll have stabbed me for no reason." I said.

Lissa and Eddie laughed while Rose and Christian cracked a smirk. We were quickly joined by Adrian, who was smiling like he'd just figured out the secret of every single person in Court. Yeah, that's right, I pick up lingo.

"Did I hear something about stabbing?" He inquired pleasantly.

Eddie continued to laugh. "Madi thinks that Alberta is going to stab her."

I rolled my eyes when Adrian's smile grew, and Rose gave a chuckle in the background. "Madi, huh?" He asked. "Told you I'd figure it out sooner or later."

"Thanks a lot, Ed." I said as I gave him a slight glare. His smile quickly fell, and he took a step back.

Before Adrian or I could come up with some witty comment to use as a whip, Dimitri had joined our group. He looked at Rose, as if he were about to say something, but Rose simply looked him up and down, sniffed, grabbed Christian's arm, and turned tail on Dimitri as she led the way to wherever this mysterious Court was. He frowned slightly as Lissa went after her, closely followed by Eddie.

I simply watched the exchange along with Adrian, who was equally curious.

"That was –" He started off, making Dimitri look at him, but I grabbed his arm.

"Come on, Adrian." I said, pretending to be completely absorbed in something else, "You said you were going to show me that spa you were telling me about."

I tugged him along behind me until he finally got the hint and joined my side. "Should I ask?" He inquired

"You know, you kind of gave me the impression that you had some form of tact." I told him shortly. "Don't you know you're not supposed to talk about auras to strangers?"

"I wouldn't exactly call Belikov a stranger," Adrian snapped. "And since when are we going to a spa? I'm not going to some girl place –"

"I was keeping you from putting your foot in your mouth, jackass." I retorted. He pulled his arm out of my hand with a huff, but continued to walk beside me.

"Jackass, am I?" He asked, allowing fake surprise to creep into his tone.

I rolled my eyes, shoving my hands in my pockets as I walked towards the now looming castle ahead. "Coming from me, you should take it as a compliment."

"Because your opinions mean _so_ much to me." He replied sarcastically.

"As they should." I deflected it darkly.

_**.M.I.W.**_

There are few things you can do in Court if you're not a Dhamphir or a Moroi. Well, you could, but it would probably be a waste of time and lead to cannibalism which we all know is not all that great.

All of the _Vampire Academy_ cast seemed to go running off in several different directions, leaving me to fend for myself. In fact, the words out of Alberta's mouth were, 'don't do something you'll regret' with all the usual creepy foreboding-ness that everyone loves so dearly.

So, that pretty much leaves you with two options.

One. Stealing Adrian's vodka and cigarettes, and creating your own party.

Or two. Being mistaken for a Dhamphir (I'm guessing it's the black clothing that sets them off) and being bossed around to go do something by a high ranking Moroi.

Which is kind of what's happening now.

"You there. Girl!" A woman barked.

Seeing as there were no other 'girls' in the proximity, I slowly turned around while raising an eyebrow. "Um… yeah?" I answered.

"Why aren't you with the other feeders?" She demanded crossly. "You shouldn't be wandering the Court."

Yes, my mind is _still_ drawing a blank. But instead of asking my usual 'what the hell', I went for the different approach. "Feeders?"

She sighed in exasperation, as if she couldn't be bothered with the subject. "I forgot how… dull the feeders' minds get. Why must I do everything? Come along, I'll take you back to where you belong."

She reached and grabbed for my arm. Her cold hand locked around my upper arm in a vice-like grip, almost instantly cutting off circulation. I yelped in surprise, and pulled back. "Hey, man, back off!"

"Come on now," She seemed to attempt to persuade me like I was some sort of toddler. It only made me more confused as she took my arm in her hand again, and pulled me along.

I quickly swept my arm to the side and broke her hold. She turned around and looked at me in surprise. I took a step back warily. "What the hell are you doing?" I demanded.

There's your usual 'what the hell'!

Her eyes widened slightly, and then narrowed. "Don't make me call some Dhamphirs to take you." She warned, still treating me like I was four. "You wouldn't want that, would you?"

"First of all, quit talking like that." I snapped. "It's freaking me out. Second of all, what the fucking hell is a feeder, and why do you think I am one? Because I'm not."

She reached to grab my arm again, and I stepped back.

"And if you try to touch me one more time," I glared at her, "I'm going to call you out for sexual harassment. I know I'm _undeniably_ gorgeous and everything, but come on, hold onto some form of self control."

She _bared_ her teeth, exposing a pair of wicked fangs. "Maybe you need to be sedated." She snarled.

I reached back for my swords, scoffing in response. "Bitch, I'd love to see you try."

"Madi!"

Dimitri had jumped in front of me in the next moment, Rose right at his side. I straightened up quickly and frowned.

"What's going on?" Rose demanded.

I pointed to the Moroi. "Ask her. She keeps coming at me. You know, this is the second time you've come in between me and my kill." I said to Dimitri. "I think you need to watch it."

The Moroi started in surprise. "_She's_ a Dhamphir?"

"Fuck no!" I snapped. "I'm a Rogue!"

"Somewhat." Dimitri translated to the woman's still-confused expression.

"As in not really." I said as I stood on my tip toes, only to have my chin just reach over Dimitri's shoulder. "I kill _all_ vampires."

Her eyes widened in surprise.

"Except Moroi. She understands the difference." Dimitri said, quickly dipping his head. "I'm sorry for the confusion. If you'll excuse us."

We quickly walked away, Dimitri grabbing my arm to tow me along. What was it with these people and all of this _touching_? I could walk on my own.

"Do you _mind_?" I hissed as I wrenched out of his grasp. "Personally, I'm getting sick of all of this manhandling."

All three of us seemed to pause and look at each other warily. I took a slight step back and folded my arms across my chest. "Where are _you_ two going?" I inquired, pretending to make it sound like I assumed they were sneaking off to have sex. Because I'm just that tasteless.

"No –" Dimitri started.

"Dashkov's cell." Rose finished, and watched Dimitri give her an incredulous look. She shrugged in return. "She knows everything."

"Seriously." I agreed earnestly.

"Do you want to come?" Rose asked.

I shrugged, realizing that I really had nothing better to do. Unless I wanted to be called a 'feeder' or whatever again. And maybe next time I would not be so lucky as to have a giant Siberian step in the way to save the day. "Yeah. Sure."

Dimitri continued to look at her in surprise. I swear, with the look his was giving her, someone would have to be flapping their arms and yelling 'what the hell' over and over again to get the same effect.

Rose nodded to him. "She's trustworthy."

Dimitri simply shook his head and let out a loud, exasparated sigh. He pushed past us, and led the way to Dashkov's cell with Rose and I following somewhat-certainly.

_**.M.I.W.**_

**Wow, I had a déjà vu while writing this chapter. That's intensely epic.**


	8. Colors

**Be grateful, my underlings… Be grateful…**

**OH MY GOD!**

**So… I finally (**_**finally**_**) finished **_**City of Fallen Angels**_**. I don't think any other book has left me so emotionally strained. **

**But it was still a good read. It seemed like everyone just now understood Jace, while I had him read after the first book. He's so… great. Madi has left me alone for quite a while (which, as we all know, is weird), so something tells me she's beyond upset at the moment.**

**And Alec totally used the name of one of Madi's seraph blades! I guess he just misses her that much. xD**

**Though… it kind of pisses me off.**

**ShoutOuts ~**

**Nyx's Pinky Girl:**** Lol, no problem to your name, it's awesome. To the football thing… *stoner laugh* haha, yeah… Thanks for your compliment to my story! And of course Madi and Adrian are going to be friends! He's a beast, Madi's a beast… It all evens out.**

**Klaus-is-epic:**** He has CREEPER EYES! I swear, it freaking unnerves me! Lol, keep working on that comparison… I'll get back to you… *shies away slowly***

**BookNinja15:**** Heya, Fluffy! If you like the dialogue in chapter seven, wait 'till you get to this puppy. It's my best by far in **_**Vampire Academy**_**. I'm glad you said elevators, because I was getting kind of confused. Where are you from? And, yes, elevators (or lifts) are weird too. My mom's office elevators sky rocket you up… it was my inspiration for Magnus' house in **_**City of Bonds**_**. And, might I add, frexing is the coolest word ever. I'm using it now.**

**~ THEMESONGS ~**

_**The First of Me**_** ~ Hoobastank (quite Madi-esque)**

_**Smooth Criminal**_** ~ Alien Ant Farm (oh, come on, I gotta whip it out every once in a story)**

_**Clint Eastwood **_**~ Gorillaz**

_**.M.I.W.**_

**8. Colors**

So… this whole Moroi prison isn't as frightening as it lets on to be.

Just sterile white walls, no windows, and the bars even look minutely friendly.

Summer retreat? I think so.

Maybe the only truly 'terrifying' thing in here is that the place has got horrible lighting. I know my freckles were standing out more from my pale skin!

There was only one person in all of these white cells, and that was, indeed, Victor Dashkov.

Now, being the horrible reader of this series that I was, (cough! – only read one and a half books out of the series, _and_ they were out of order – _major_ cough!) I wasn't really expecting much. I didn't really think over his appearance, and my mind was just lazy enough to conjure up the thought that he had black hair, green eyes, and pale skin.

Apparently, being me, you're just born this awesome.

He looked pretty flawless for an old guy, but this saying I was getting used to seeing pretty much all vampires embodying the word 'flawless' or 'stunning' or even 'glittery.' Trust me… you aren't missing much.

He looked like he was in his early thirties with black hair in a short haircut. His eyes were green, much like Lissa's, but I suppose people wouldn't exactly want me to admit that. Copyrights, and all that jazz. He was wearing a fancy suit, probably Dolce or a Valentino. That's right, I know my finer, more Italian clothing lines.

Yes, Google is mainly to blame.

I let Rose and Dimitri step ahead of me as I decided to take the back and lean against the cold, white wall behind them, crossing my legs at the ankle. I stuck my hands in my pockets, and watched with little to no interest as the scene took place. I think it would be time to start ceiling tiles.

"Dimitri Belikov and Rose Hathaway." He said in a creepily smooth voice. "A pleasure to see you both again. But, who is your third partner?"

"More like third wheel." I muttered under my breath.

"She doesn't seem all that pleased to be here." Victor mused. "And she looks rather young to be a guard in Court."

Dimitri and Rose turned to look at me, but I said nothing and shrugged, conveying I honestly did not give a shit as to whatever they wanted to say.

Dimitri cleared his throat. "It doesn't matter." He said shortly –

"Ah, but everything matters." Victor looked at me once again. I rolled my eyes. "Everyone has a role to play."

_Ooh_… Flail your arms about like a ghost and you'll get the same 'creepy' effect.

"Can you please stop looking at me?" I asked. "Just stick to the script, bro."

He smiled and nodded. I rolled my eyes and assumed he just wanted to irritate me, get me to say something that would somehow apply to his own personal gain.

"So, I suppose your visit isn't exactly personal –"

"What do you want with…?" Dimitri glanced back at me, "With the information –"

"When I said she knows everything," Rose jerked her head back to me, "I meant she knows _everything_."

All three sets of eyes were on me. I shrugged again. "Yeah, pretty much."

"Fascinating." Victor mused, a sickeningly pleasant smile on his face.

"Oh, believe me," I grinned wickedly, "I know."

It seemed to stop him short, and I focused on my nails. "You can continue," I said, pretending to be absorbed, "now that everyone knows that I know everything."

"Then what could you possibly do with the information you have on Rose and I?" Dimitri asked, leaning close to the bars of the cell.

"Personally, you can't really do anything with it." I informed Victor, folding my arms across my chest. "Are you just trying to create some form of scandal before you go? Because I've been known to be quite the excellent form of liar. I can just tell them that I was actually sent here to keep an eye on your records, and mentioning a bit of compulsion magic probably will put them in the clear and you…" I paused, pretending to think about it. "Well, let's just say you'll be put into the dark faster than any of these other Dhamphirs and Moroi alike could do."

"Are you saying that if I say anything about Rose and Dimitri, you plan to do something about it?" He chortled. "You? A little creature like yourself? Threatening _me_? I don't care if you're a Dhamphir –"

"It's an excellent thing I'm not then." I hissed.

Victor took pause, looked even more taken aback than before.

I smirked, and tapped the hilt of my seraph blades with one finger. "Come on now, Vic, I thought you were a bit more intelligent than that. You should've realized these aren't stakes."

His eyes widened slightly, and he opened his mouth. He seemed to try and form words, but none came out. My smirk was even bigger.

"Check yourself, sir, before you wreck yourself." I stated as I straightened out my jacket, and folded my arms across my chest again.

"Now I think I have seen everything." Victor admitted. "Rose, it seems you have managed to meet someone who has a bigger ego than you."

"Because I'm more of a badass." I chimed in. "But I also back up my words with my fists. Or swords, if you prefer to die faster. Now, are you going to say anything or not?"

"I still don't see why I should be afraid of you." Victor mused, waltzing up to the cell bars.

I dove forward in between the space of Dimitri and Rose. I twisted my hands in his fine suit, hoping that I was going to give it wrinkles, and forced him down to my height. There was no way in hell anyone – let alone a _vampire_ – was going to try and give me shit.

"I've hung out and been trained with warriors who would tie a vampire in blessed chains just to see them squirm." I snarled. "They can enter rooms with perfect silence, killing just as easily. I've fought against _armies_ of you. I hung out with children – the oldest _fourteen_ – who kill and find it _fun_. Trust me, you pick up a thing or two."

His eyes widened, pure terror flashing through them. My grin only grew wider. I pushed him back in his cell, and smirked when he almost stumbled over his bed at the force of it.

But fear washed through _me_ when I felt my heart beginning to pound, meaning that adrenaline was coming back.

That curse from Magnus had seemed to leave something residing, but he had assured me it was entirely gone. Still, I hadn't had much of a blood puking incident since then, and I kind of wanted to keep it that way. Maybe that was because I hadn't had much to go through in this world. Come to think of it, I hadn't been in a fight in a little over two days.

_That_ was troubling.

"You –" Victor stammered as I continued to walk towards the stairs that led out of this place, "You're not holy!"

"Tell me something I don't know." I snapped back.

_**.M.I.W.**_

Sitting in trial is boring. The colors in the room are boring, the chairs are benches and there forth uncomfortable, the people are boring because they wore the same boring things, making it impossible to make fun of someone.

I stared at everyone, trying to find someone interesting to watch. There wasn't. Tried to find some architectural piece that would be nice to study. There wasn't. Counted ceiling tiles for the first twenty minutes I was in here, even attempted to lose count _on purpose_, and there turned out to be six thousand, two hundred and ninety-three. Exactly.

Personally, I give credit to the Shadowhunter Marks or my newly enhanced adrenaline-ized body to give me such awesome sight and focus.

The trial was still currently going on, Dashkov trying to prove his innocence even though there were literal _piles_ that stood against him. They were on the prosecutor's desk, one at a time being used against him, and set into the 'used' pile.

I thought about my seraph blades, mentally examining every detail, and thought about them in the small room I'd acquired, and hoped they were safe and no one would go in and jack them. Then I thought about the Fae-Bag, wondered what was inside of it, if I would ever know, which led me to thinking about New York, and how I hadn't seen that much of it. I wondered if I would ever go back, and how Jace and everyone else were doing. I'd recently bought _City of Fallen Angels_, but didn't have the heart to exactly crack the cover.

Which then, finally, made me think about Meliorn. If he still felt the way I did about him, if we would ever find a way to actually be together, or this was just the end. I played with his ring again, turning it and tracing my fingertip on the designs carved into the silver band.

"Bored yet?" Adrian inquired at my side, and I looked up at him. We were both standing at the back of the courtroom, because apparently he didn't care either, and had been receiving glares from people throughout the entirety of the trial because every time someone would finish a testament or question, one of us would have some tasteless joke-slash-innuendo to stick on the back of it.

I smiled slightly. "Have been." I replied.

"How about we go have our own party?" He suggested.

I shrugged in the universal 'what the hell' and we both pretty much tore out of there faster than anyone could notice.

_**.M.I.W.**_

"You know," I mused as I took another swig of Adrian's expensive Russian vodka with one hand, while in the other I held a newly lit cigarette. "I didn't exactly know vodka could be so… all right."

We were in his room, which was exceedingly messy with clothes strewn about and thrown everywhere, empty cigarette cartons on the floor as well as empty bottles that were once filled with beer or vodka, as well as CD's. After tracking through them all, we now picked a slightly punkish Russian band. They were screaming things from the speakers we didn't understand, but they had a good sound.

We were lounging on separate ends of his bed, relaxing while I was pretty sure the trial was still going on underneath our feet.

"It does have its moments." He agreed as he let out a large puff of smoke, and reached forward to grab the bottle from my hand.

"So," I said as I handed it to him, looking warily at the cigarette in my hands, before bringing it up to my lips to take in a smoke. I quickly let out the breath, and glanced nervously at Adrian, who didn't even seem to notice since he was busy drinking out of the vodka bottle. "Is this what you do all the time? You know, when you're not using your element or whatever?"

He gave me a wary look before taking another shot of alcohol. "I know you know more than you keep letting on." He informed me. "I think you already know the answer."

I shrugged and nodded, before taking another hesitant drag of the cigarette. "I just can't help but think there's something more to you. Something that you don't tell anyone about. I can't imagine just sitting up here in a room, smoking and drinking, not having any other hobbies. No other… real way to express yourself."

"Well…" He mused, blowing out a fast stream of smoke above him. "What about you? So far I've only seen you be a smartass to everyone, kick Rose's ass – which was quite inspiring, by the way, and now smoke and drink with me. How do you express yourself?"

I shrugged. "I dance. I fight. I read –"

Adrian coughed loudly, cutting me off. He seemed to have swallowed the vodka the wrong way. "You _read_?" He asked incredulously once he got his bearings again.

"Yes." I answered, slightly put off. "Is that a bad thing?"

He shook his head, taking in his cigarette. "Just didn't see you as a reader, that's all."

"Then what do you see me as?" I inquired, taking the vodka bottle from his hand and gulping down a swig myself.

The alcohol burned my throat and through my chest, like cold fire. Vodka was different than whisky, I soon learned. Whisky had a somewhat warm, harsh but at the same time comfortable fire that rolled through you like thunder. Vodka was electrifying, cold, like a knife going down your throat. Interesting, the things you pick up when you welcome the outside world and all of its hell.

Or maybe it was just my world.

Adrian looked at me with that same calculating gaze he had before. Just watching, looking over, reading. I could see the focus he put into it, trying to piece things together. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of silence, he leaned back.

"Complicated." He answered.

I raised an eyebrow in slight confusion.

He reached for the vodka, and I handed it to him quickly. "Every person has a basic aura." He explained as he took another swig. "Usually there's only one stable, constant emotion people keep with them. So, in turn, one stable, constant color. You seem to always have three."

"Three… colors?" I asked.

He nodded. "Three constant emotions. It's in layers. Yellow, black, and red. Sometimes one takes over the other, or the shades change, but the colors don't. From the first time I've met you, I've never seen you with any other colors."

"Huh…" I nodded, taking another drag of my cigarette. "What do they mean then?"

"They're apart of your personality." He said. "Not moods. Meaning I can't really read them as well. Hence, you're complicated."

I rolled my eyes. "I see."

"Right now, though," he said, "your colors are mainly yellow with a faint tinge of gray."

I laughed. "Gray is not black."

"But it's a hue." He informed me seriously. "Gray is a form of black."

"Ah," I nodded, and watched as he took another drink of the vodka.

"So," Adrian stated. "Rose says you know… everything."

I shrugged. "Pretty much, yeah. I know that you're in love with her. I think you guys would be awesome going out, that's just me, but she's deeply in love with Dimitri, and that's not going to change."

"My worst fears come to pass then." He sighed, leaning against his bed again.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" He asked. "You just told me the future. I'm not going to be one of those guys that say the future can be changed, because if it's something like that, there's no chance in hell that it can be."

I nodded, looking down at the ring on my finger once again. I took in another lung-killing drag of my cigarette, and blew out, wondering if maybe there was some way I could change _my_ future with Meliorn.

_**.M.I.W.**_

"Come on!" Rose called, leading the way to Rhonda's.

Apparently, Rhonda was a fortune teller that could see the future. Now, being me, I'm going to of course be skeptical, because I can see the future a hell of a lot better than her.

But, she was pretty right about Dimitri's future fortune, (yes, I have been keeping mental tabs on that) so maybe she wasn't all bad.

That was pretty much how Rose, Lissa, Dimitri, and I had come to be in Rhonda's small room, sitting around her small table, and I caught the scents of some rather scandalous substances.

"Hey…" I said slowly as the old woman sat down in front of us. "Is that –?"

"Welcome." She said, cutting me off.

I stared off into space, taking in slight scent of what I was sure were drugs in the back of the room, looking around at the window that let in the harsh sunlight to hit the table and the table only. The rest of the room was dim, you could barely see it compared to the light on the table.

Rhonda shuffled her tarot cards, which created soothing whisping sounds every time she fanned them through. A slight different colored light flashed in the corner of my eye, which caught me off guard though, and I looked back at her cards.

They were tinged in silver light, like it was coming from the moon. I furrowed my eyebrows as I stared at the ornately decorated cards, twice the size of regular playing cards, and the light that seemed to come from them. When I looked up, my gaze met Rhonda's, who looked at me with her dark, twinkling eyes.

"What –"

"Vasillisa Dragomir." Rhonda said with her aged voice. She laid the cards out, stretching them across the table. She gestured to them broadly. "Pick three cards."

Lissa reached for the silver tinged cards. I quickly leaned forward, was about to tell her to stop, when the old fortune teller's eyes locked on mine. Lissa paused, and I could notice her looking at me out of the corner of my eye. A warning flashed brilliantly through Rhonda's dark eyes, and I slowly pulled back. Rhonda was safe in the books. She hadn't hurt them. It was _fine_.

Lissa reached for her cards.

But there was something about Rhonda that seemed eerily familiar.

I reached behind my chair with both arms, my fingertips just lightly grazing the hilts of my seraph blades in my backpack resting behind my chair on the floor.

As Rhonda continued to give me a stony look, my chair was pushed back by an invisible force, only a few inches. A few inches for me to know to get the hint. I nodded respectfully, and set my hands on my lap.

No one seemed to notice the exchange, for which I was thankful for, and Rhonda began to read off the fortunes left and right. I watched, smiled at a few perturbed looks, and after Dimitri's, we were done.

Or at least I _thought_ we were done.

"Madi, aren't you going to do yours?" Lissa asked as I was grabbing my bag.

I paused, frowning slightly. My eyes met Rhonda's, her dark, small eyes making my heart sink.

"Ah… no." I said. "I don't believe in that kind of stuff."

"It's supposed to be fun!" Lissa pleaded. "Come on, Madi, you saw the rest of our fortunes!"

"Yeah, come on." Rose said, patting the back of my now vacated chair.

Rhonda looked at me expectantly. When my eyes met hers again, she averted her eyes and picked up her cards, shuffling them once again. Her eyes focused on mine equally, and my mind further picked up on the familiarity.

Finally, she nodded to the chair. "Sit down, young wanderer. Have your fortune read."

My heart was beginning to pound, and I finally, slowly, sat down.

She nodded, smiling slightly, in respect. "Very wise of you."

I swallowed against the sudden hoarseness in my voice. "I'm kind of doubting that."

She turned her chair to face me more fully, shuffling her cards in a steady rhythm. I watched the strange silvery light in them, and couldn't help but find myself even more confused, and more nervous.

"You see the power of my element, don't you, young wanderer?" She asked, almost conversationally.

I nodded slightly.

She chuckled, darkly. "Not many people can. But I had a feeling you could. As soon as you stepped into the room, I could feel it."

"Feel what?" Rose decided to ask.

Rhonda's eyes were entirely on mine. I leaned forward slightly. She smiled. "You've been around stronger magic than I could ever conjure, Madison Verdantia. Then, in consequence, you have been Touched. Twice."

I nodded to Rhonda in agreement.

"_Touched_?" Rose demanded. "What the hell does she mean by that?"

"Both had very different ends, didn't they?" She inquired, almost too casually, a somewhat amused sparkle in her eye. "I can see it. A strong light, but also a strong darkness."

I ground my teeth together.

"The darkness lingers within you, Madison Verdantia." She warned. "As it should. It is not so easy to forget something as evil as you have tried to."

She suddenly spread the cards along the table. She had a dangerous gleam in her eye, a challenge. "Pick your cards." She gestured to the tarots.

I didn't bother looking, grabbing one at a time, and handing them to Rhonda. She seemed somewhat surprised, but smiled accordingly. I leaned back in my chair, watching her. She then flipped the cards over, a concentrated look now on her aged face.

"Your past…" She mused as she looked over the cards. "You never really had the chance to be a child at home, did you? It has made you very jaded. But your heart is still wild, and follows the beat of a warrior's drum. Life has been quite unfair to you, hasn't it? Just one unlucky thing after another. It's a surprise you haven't –"

She paused, furrowing her brows. Then, a too gleeful light shone in them. "Ah! But you have! _Twice_!" She looked up at me sympathetically. "Anyone would be the same."

I stared at her evenly.

She looked back down at the cards.

"Your present…" She noted. "Because of your soul, how old it is, you were given a gift by someone very powerful, very dark. He did not expect you to be who you are, did he?"

_Belial._

"But you've shown him quite well what you're capable of. You have been dealt with serious grief. The cards say you have two poisons inside of you. They control you, hurt you. But you use them anyhow as a strength, regardless of the pain, to save those whom you give your loyalty to. You are haunted though, by these poisons. It slowly wears at you. Many have seen it. Your family, though they say nothing. But… they never do, do they? You care not, though.

"There is also a love. A strained love. A wistful love. A love that hopes beyond hope. Do not worry, Madison Verdantia, for he pines for you just as much as you him."

"Now, your future…" Rhonda started. "Your future has more darkness that may overshadow your triumphs. You venture to many more distant lands that are beyond even my sight. You and your love reunite, though the strain is hard on both of you. There are many more roles for you to play, Madison Verdantia, many more battles, and many more times for your poison to take you –"

She stopped as soon as she flipped over the last card. My heart dropped even harder than I thought would be possible.

"What?" I asked, trying to joke. "Do I get a broken nail too?"

"No, it is far more serious than that." Rhonda said gravely. She flipped the card and showed it to me.

It was very carefully drawn, beautiful greens and blacks swirled the background. In the center of this card, there was a skull. A rose lay in front of it, red with its tinges rotting and turning black. A raven was perched on top of the skull, dark and menacing.

I didn't need a fortune teller for this one.

"Madison Verdantia, your future holds death."

_**.M.I.W.**_

…

**C'mon, you **_**have**_** to comment on this one.**


	9. Shadow Kissed

**Oh-mi-gosh! I'm so excited! Tomorrow, an agent is coming back from vacation, which means that she'll respond to my query! Agh! Agh! Agh! I'm beyond excited! I'm, like, SUPERNOVA excited!**

**See, because while I've been doing this and that Legolas story, I also work on my books. I'm now on chapter twenty-one of the second book in my series, where the chapters are along the lines of nine to ten pages, which is kind of a lot.**

**Now I just have to figure out what exactly I want from the third book… :D**

**Gosh, I love writing.**

**ShoutOuts ~**

**Klaus-is-Epic:**** No, they're weird. And I had to leave to finish this beasting chapter! :p I used to be in band too! Clarinet/saxophone power! That song is amazing, one of my favorites. And I'll go with you on the English Toffee Coffee, but no Redbull.**

**Nyx's Pinky Girl:**** Okay, where do you get your name from? I gotta know. And EXACTLY! Adrian should at least enjoy working out or **_**something**_**. And Rhonda is familiar to Madi because…**

**BloodRaven:**** Lol, thank you. And the fortune was meant for total creepiness. I enjoyed writing it, as horrible and minutely sadistic as that sounds. Thanks for the comment!**

**BookNinja15:**** Omg, you just earned, like, 25 Respect Points from me. You're from Australia, and that is intensely amazingly awesome. In my novel, I actually have a character who's Australian, so I somewhat know your language. And, might I say, it's obnoxiously difficult to write like an Aussie when you're actually a Texan/Washingtonian/Georgian… aka an American Yank. ;P I KNEW THAT KANGAROOS WERE EVIL! Gosh, that made my day. Thanks, Fluffy!**

**LittleLottie:**** Holy shit. That's all I have to say. Holy shit. Wow. Thank you **_**so**_** much, it truly means a lot to me and astounds me that you spent an entire day reading these. I'm so happy you like Madi and my style. I appreciate your comment so much, if I haven't said that already. And me being the first person you've ever reviewed just makes me feel like I've been doing my job all the better. Thank you, again, I'd give you a hug, but I'm not that stalkerish and don't know where you live haha.**

**~ THEMESONGS ~**

_**Letting Go**_** ~ Sean Kingston ft. Nicki Minaj (kind of a Maliordi song lolz)**

_**.M.I.W.**_

**9. Shadow Kissed… Does that Involve Black Lipstick?**

_Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick._

Sitting in an uncomfortable infirmary chair with a hard back and basically no padding while listening and lip singing the rap parts to _Psycho_ by 50 Cent, featuring Eminem is _not_ something I had imagined myself doing when I got back to St. Vladimir's Academy.

Yes, I was aware that Rose would be seeing ghosts, but I decided not to mention it to her, and just let it play out.

I know, it's terrible of me, but you too would kind of be a _little_ distracted when you were dealt the card of death by some creepy fortuneteller named Rhonda. Now, maybe you could play it off, but then again probably not, because the last guy she gave a fortune to simply said he'd lose what he valued most. Guess what happened to that guy? He lost his mother fucking soul and turned into a blood drinking, killer mother fucking vampire.

_Tick, tick, tick – _

And I'm sorry for the overuse of expletives, but come on! I just got dealt the mother fucking card of _death_!

_Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick._

Now, if that's what happened to that guy (yes, I know it's Dimitri, but I feel like it creates more of an impact when I say 'that guy') when she simply said that? What kind of death was _I_ in store for? Something pretty bad, I'd come to think.

_Tick, tick – _

I mean, yes, let's get something straight, I knew I was going to die. Everyone knows they're going to die, and I've accepted it for quite a while. But, I'm sure when everyone thinks they're going to die, it's the 'grow old and gray' kind of death.

In fact, Rhonda (who I was still feeling weird vibes from all the way in Montana) seemed to believe my death would be quite sudden.

That wasn't all that good.

_Tick, tick, tick, tick – _

Good God, I'm going to kill that clock.

I went through the music on my iPod, just trying to keep my thoughts calm and steady while Rose was sleeping on the cot in front of me, quite peacefully.

Somehow, I wasn't imagining myself sleeping all that well anymore.

_Tick, tick, tick, tick._

I mean, really, _death_? I felt like I'd had enough on my plate as it was, why'd they have to throw the whole death thing into it?

I pinched the bridge of my nose with my thumb and index finger, already fighting against the stress induced pounding in my head. How did my life become so dramatic? Not that I didn't mind it, just how?

_Tick –_

"Madi?"

I pulled off one of the ear buds from my ear, and looked up to see Rose's dark eyes look at me curiously. I checked the time on the clock next to us, ticking a little too loudly for my tastes. It was 10:00 a.m.

"What's going on?" She demanded.

"Morning." I greeted. "You passed out on the plane. From those ghosts, right? We brought you here. Alberta! Dimitri! She's awake!"

Footsteps thundered towards the room, and Rose looked even more nervous.

I shrugged. "Just tell them what happened, and they'll send you to that counseling thing. Don't worry, it's not that big of a deal. You'll realize that Dimitri is the only one for you, and nothing else all that life –"

"Rose." Alberta stated, cutting me short.

Not actually in the mood to argue, I stood up from the chair I was in, and leaned against the wall away from the new group. I put my iPod on play again, since it was shuffling through its song automatically.

_Six Foot, Seven Foot_ by Lil' Wayne blasted in my ears. I narrowed my eyes slightly, remembering that this song was the song Meliorn and I had danced to when I was somewhat (haha, _somewhat_?) drunk, and then that led to our first kiss.

I rolled my eyes in irritation, and quickly pressed the 'skip' button. Damn Meliorn making me not like that song anymore. It _was_ a favorite.

_If you leave me tonight, I'll wake up alone, don't tell me I will make it on my own… Don't leave me tonight…_

Oh, of course _Stay Close, Don't Go_ would play by Secondhand Serenade. Does anyone ever _hear_ the lyrics to that song? Or anything by Secondhand Serenade, for that matter? I clenched my free hand in a fist and pursed my lips. That's a definite skip.

_But stop the tape, the sunset still looks fake to me. The hero looks like he can't breathe, the damsel just left everything…_

I slumped darkly against the wall in slight resolution. _Black Cat_ by Mayday Parade. Perfect, just perfect.

Skip.

_I wanted love, I needed love, most of all, most of all… Someone said true love was dead, and I'm bound to fall, bound to fall… for you…_

Damn you, Black Keys and your _Tighten Up_.

Skip.

_Love, love me do. You know, I love you. I'll always be true. So please, love me do… Love me do…_

As soon as the harmonica came on, I glared at the iPod as _Love Me Do_ by the Beatles came on. The world hates me, doesn't it?

Skip.

_Had the notion you'd make me change my ways, and the bad habits would be gone in a matter of days… Had the feeling you would open up my eyes, to a whole new world that has just been in disguise…_

_All Hail the Heartbreaker_ by the Spill Canvas. I rolled my eyes. Figures.

"Oh, come on." I muttered darkly, about to jam my thumb onto the skip button.

"Madi."

I jumped at the sound of my name, which coincidently made me pause the song instead of change it. I looked up to see three pairs of eyes looking at me strangely.

"Uh… yeah?" I answered.

Alberta narrowed her eyes into another stony _Alberta Glare_. Trademarked! "Is everything all right over there?"

I held up my iPod, shaking it slightly. "Technical malfunction." I lied.

_**.M.I.W.**_

"I can't believe you didn't say anything when they put me into that stupid counseling thing!" Rose exploded as she, Lissa, Christian, Eddie, Adrian and I were sitting in the cafeteria, watching Adrian and Lissa practice magic.

By now, everyone in the group was filled in that I was now not just a guest, but more of an all knowing, all seeing goddess.

"Well, I didn't really seem to think it was that big of a deal." I concluded mildly. "Nothing really happens and it'll give you something to do."

"_Right_." She said sarcastically as she rolled her eyes.

"It is true." Adrian defended. "Your aura has gotten a _lot_ darker."

"So, have we gotten to the bottom of this whole _Mână_ mystery?" I asked. "I think this is about where everything starts picking up."

"Yeah, some girl mentioned it again." Rose admitted. "What does it mean?"

"It's a secret group or whatever of Moroi that use their elements to fight each other. They think they can be invincible. I agree with this, just in case anyone was wondering." I said. "It's an old group apparently, right Adrian?"

"Mmhmm…" He replied as he was more involved in the lighting of a cigarette, focused on bringing a plant back to life.

I shrugged to Rose. "Situation somewhat solved."

"Right." She rolled her eyes again and we all watched as Lissa began showing Adrian how to heal plants. Once she began her weird glowing thing, Rose seemed to sag further into the sofa next to her.

I raised an eyebrow slowly, and looked at Adrian, who seemed to notice the same thing. Then, it was his turn. He tried his best to heal the dying, dead, now dying some more plant, but it just wasn't working for him.

He sighed in irritation and shook his head.

"I have to go." Rose said suddenly, standing up.

"Where?" Lissa asked, smiling slightly, though everyone could see the worry in her eyes.

There was a sudden darkness in Rose's eye no one seemed to catch, except for Adrian and I. That darkness was swept clear, though, replaced with a simple, emotionless gaze. "Church." She answered, spun around, and walked out of the cafeteria.

Church…

I thought better of it, and decided to leave her alone.

"All of Lissa's bad feelings are going into her." Adrian informed me quietly, since he was suddenly at my side, making me jump. "That's what's making her aura so dark."

"You should tell her." I said.

"Oh, I plan to." He informed me. "But maybe later on today. When Lissa's latest use of her element has worn off of Rose."

_**.M.I.W.**_

**The only thing that really comes to mind with the whole iPod scene was that Madi's iPod was trying to tell her something. What about you?**

**I know, it's short, but I seriously am doing one of these a day, so it can't be all bad, right?**

**Looooooonnnngggg aaaassssss chapter ahead.**


	10. Digging Deep and Coming Up Empty

**Wow, next day and the comments just keep bumping up. It's blowing my mind!**

**You know, I'll tell you guys the title of my book when it gets published. But, I must warn you, my identity MUST be kept a secret. *flicks up hugeass cloak to cover face, wiggles eyebrows, and jumps off of a building in a stormy night***

**You guys are amazing. Did I tell you that? No? Well, you are.**

**ShoutOuts ~**

**Nyx's Pinky Girl:**** Huh, I did not know that. That's pretty wicked. I like it. And the three dots mean… That I'm not going to tell you. xD**

**LittleLottie:**** Lol, don't worry about the mistakes, I still getcha. Ech… Twi-tard. xP I'm glad you're excited! It makes me excited! Hells to the yes for normal books and stoof! I couldn't agree more!**

**BookNinja15:**** Yeah, fillery blows. I had no freaking idea what to do with the chapter without it screwing with the plot.**

**Klaus-is-Epic:**** All right, we'll agree to disagree… even though I'm right… And ech to crazy bitches! Wow, at the end of your comment I just realized it had nothing to do with the story like you said. I had to reread it just to make sure haha. We must be just that awesome of conversationalists then!**

**Crazy4MadHatter:**** Oh, thank you so much haha! I appreciate it!**

**~ THEMESONGS ~**

_**Outside**_** ~ The Dead Weather**

_**Carry on My Wayward Son**_** ~ Kansas (one of my personal fav' songs and the **_**Supernatural**_** theme song too!)**

_**.M.I.W.**_

**10. Digging Deep and Coming Up Empty**

_Darkness clouded over me. I couldn't feel anything, just numbing blackness that seemed to take over the entirety of the world. Made me feel small, weak, breakable._

_A dark snarl came from behind me. A cold feeling brushed against my legs. I spun around to see what it was, except nothing was there._

_Then, above me was a chortle. I could feel it swoop just over my head and tousle my hair. I looked up, nothing was there._

_My heart was beating so loud, I could hear it take over my any other sound as blood rushed through my ears. A sickening dread washed over me, begging for this not to be what I thought it was._

_Suddenly, large, cold, clawed hands grasped my arm, and I turned to see a pair of yellow eyes glaring menacingly back, no body except for the even darker blackness. My heart nearly stopped as pure fear washed through me, making me grow still._

"_Come with us, Madi." A voice that didn't belong to the dark thing pulling me asked. It came from everywhere. It wasn't really like I had a choice, anyhow. I couldn't even make myself stop. "Come, take the fall. This is what you wanted, isn't it?"_

_The chortles, snarls, howls, grew louder and louder, more excited as the thing holding my arm pulled me forward. I didn't even try to stop it, even though my mind was desperately telling me to. The cold of the shadow things swooping, twirling, curling around me didn't even stop me from walking._

"_Come with us, Madi." The same demonic voice pleaded, a low snarl emanating from the voice. It didn't come from one source, echoing around me, driving me forward in the same painful slowness as the shadow thing holding my arm guided me. "You want this, we know you do. We know everything. Everything…"_

"_Fall, Madi," The voice pleaded. "Fall. You want this. It will be easy. Just fall. Relax… Fall…"_

I bolted from my bed – quite literally – and fell hard on my shoulder, grappling my seraph blades from my backpack beside my bed. "_Metatron_! _Sandalphon_!" I called desperately, my heart beating wildly.

They lit up accordingly, and I swung them around carefully in the suddenly too dark room. Bile rose up in my throat. I could feel the sweat on my forehead, neck, and upper shoulders. I swept the swords through the darkness, their light only bringing a somewhat comfort.

Slowly, oh so slowly, I reached for the lamp beside my bed, and flicked it on. As soon as light flooded the room, I let out a squeak of terror, and tensed for a fight.

Only to face an empty room.

Finally my mind clicked into place. Everything was all right. It was just a dream. It didn't happen again. There is no possible way for it to happen again. I slumped to my knees, my swords dropping to the ground on either side of me. "Oh God." I croaked.

_**.M.I.W.**_

"I. Hate. You." I seethed, folding my arms across my chest, and thrusting my back into the chair as we sat down.

"Hey, you got me into this. Payback." Rose replied just as darkly as she slumped into the chair next to me.

I was instantly appalled. "I did not! It's not my fault that _you see dead people_!" I snapped, waving my fingers in a rather spiritual manner to indicate the beyond.

"Shut up!" She growled.

"Make me!" I retorted. "This is what happens when you corner a tiger. They fight back!"

"Oh, so you're referencing yourself as a 'tiger' now?" Rose rolled her eyes.

"_No_," I said just as sarcastically, "I'm referencing that fake _fichus_ as a tiger. Don't try and be smart when you end up looking like an idiot."

"Did you just –"

"Call you an idiot?" I inquired with a layer of 'too-innocent' in my tone.

The receptionist walked into the room at that point, making both of us go quiet. When she sat down at her desk, turning to her back to us to face her computer, I glared at Rose.

"Fuck _yeah_." I whispered in conclusion.

Her gaze was pure fury.

Suddenly, one of the doors opened, and a kind looking Moroi watched us with an amused expression on her face. "Hello," she greeted, "Who's first?"

Rose immediately pointed to me.

That bitch threw me under the bus!

I whipped around to face her. "Are you _serious_?" I spluttered. "_You're_ the one who needs the psychological help!" I quickly looked at the slightly confused counselor. "_She's_ first. I'm the sane one here for moral support."

"Well, you know…" She paused.

"Madi." I answered her unanswered question.

She smiled kindly again. "Madi, to be the best moral support, you could come in first, show Rose that there's nothing to worry about."

I slumped in my chair. There's just no winning!

"Oh my God. Fine." I said quietly in annoyed resolution. I stood up from my chair, raising my hands, palms facing forward, in defeat. I glowered at Rose. "I'll go show you there's nothing to be scared of. I'm sure we could take her, Rose."

The therapist's eyes widened.

I paused when I saw her expression. "_Kidding_." I sighed.

"Welcome Madi, my name is Deirdre." She said as I walked warily into her room.

I looked at her for a minute. Instead of making fun of her name, I gave the cool 'sup' nod that always works, and walked in.

She closed the door. "You should know that before we start," she informed me as she walked to her desk, "is that whatever you say in these four walls can't be used against you. Here, you're safe."

I snorted and sat down in the chair in front of her desk. "Trust me, if you've been where I have, you kind of figure out nowhere is safe."

"What makes you feel like nowhere is safe?" She inquired, pulling out a legal pad.

I raised an eyebrow. "Why did you pull out a legal pad?"

"Does the legal pad threaten you?"

"Are you not going to remember what I say?"

"Do you have abandonment issues?"

"Do you have short-term memory loss?"

"Madi." The therapist said shortly.

"Deirdre." I replied automatically, hiding the smile. This was actually turning out to be fun.

She sighed, slowly. "You need to be honest. Hiding behind sarcastic remarks can't save you all the time."

"Are you saying that my sarcasm is a defense mechanism?"

"Is it?"

"Only against the verbally and-or intellectually challenged."

"Do you find yourself feeling superior towards everyone around you?"

"Well, I _do_ carry around two swords on occasion." I admitted.

"And how does that make you feel?"

"I thought we just agreed this makes me find myself feeling superior. I was consenting to that, back there." I sighed loudly in fake exasperation. "Keep up, Deirdre."

"Is the reason why you keep yourself so closed off from everyone? Because you're afraid they won't keep up with you, and there forth leave you?"

"How the hell did you get that out of what we were just talking about?" I demanded. "Your notes? I didn't see you take any."

"You're quite observant."

"Kind of have to make a habit of it, or else I get – well, you know – killed."

"Is it always do or die with you?"

"Only when I'm in a do or die situation. I'm not Clint Eastwood or Chuck Norris where it happens all the time."

"Why do you associate yourself with those two particular characters?"

"Because they're badasses?"

"Do you want to be like them because you want to be a… badass?"

"Psh, I already am on my own. The swords, remember."

"You seem to have a very strong hold when it comes to a conceited front. Is it because you're nervous? Most people tend to appeal to a disposition to ward others off."

I pretended to think about it. "No… No, I'd have to say that narcissism and quick wittedness are personality traits of mine. If they weren't, I'd probably ward myself off."

"Fascinating."

"Oh, I concur. So far we've come up with the fact that I'm conceited. You're not very good at this, you know. The fortuneteller got through to me more than you have."

"Is it because you think you appeal to the supernatural world?"

"Well, I _am_ currently surrounded by vampires. Shouldn't you be more inclined to the paranormal seeing as you drink blood for breakfast?"

She stopped short at that.

I shrugged, leaning back into the chair. "Just a thought." I said as I laced my fingers together.

"So, tell me," She said as she pulled out a pen, "What did this fortuneteller tell you?"

"Why do you need to know? Haven't you heard of fortuneteller-to-client confidentiality? Personally, I think you need more help. You seem maladjusted to the life of a vampire. Instead of drinking blood, hunting, doing vampire-like things, you're in here, trying to live in a rational world as a therapist."

She didn't say anything.

"Is it because you're a vampire, and you don't want to do these vampire things, that made you want to be a therapist? So you could try and help other people? Because there's no way to really help yourself?" I inquired.

Her gaze was stony.

"Hmm…" I smiled darkly. "Fascinating."

"I think you should leave now." She said tightly.

"Have I warded you off already?" I asked sarcastically. "And here I thought we were going to make a breakthrough –"

"Leave!" She snapped, and I quickly dropped it, knowing when I'd overstepped a boundary.

"Peace out." I said as I headed to the door. I swung it open to face a surprised Rose.

"Done already?" She asked in surprise.

"Yup." I shrugged. "Not as scary or boring as I thought it'd be."

She nodded, and walked in, closing the door behind her.

_**.M.I.W.**_

So, yes, I did feel a little bad about calling out that therapist like that, but at the same time, not really. She was trying to understand things that would never be understood. Things that couldn't really be solved just by talking it out. I just wanted to cut her short, make her stop talking, make her throw me out.

A light snow was falling along the grounds of the Academy, Rose walking quietly beside me. Only the lamps that cast a warm orange glow lit our path in the darkness.

"So…" She said.

"You went to the church to learn that Anne, Vladimir's Dhamphir, killed herself." I informed her. "Yesterday."

"Anna." Rose corrected me, and I nodded in agreement. "And… yes."

"Also, you saw Mason's ghost. He isn't out for revenge. You should know that. Hell, I didn't even know the kid and I knew it."

"I know, I know." She admitted. "But I just… at the same time I didn't, you know?"

I nodded. "And the wards _are_ breaking." I said. "You noticed you didn't see any ghosts at the Court because the wards there were so strong, right?"

"I knew it." She grinned. "I _knew_ you were holding out on us. Why, though? We could really use your help. You could solve everything!"

"You think that." I said. "And you'd be partially right, but I'd also screw you over royally. I just don't think I could do that."

"Why? Don't tell me you've gone soft or whatever."

"Because, contrary to popular belief, I'm not entirely a coldhearted bitch." I informed her. "And we're just going to leave it at that."

I was greeted with silence. A very welcomed silence. Only the sounds of our footsteps crunching through the snow that coated the ground, nothing else.

"Should we tell someone?" Rose asked. "About the wards, I mean."

"They won't believe us." I told her quietly. "No matter what we do, they won't."

"But we can at least try!" She exclaimed.

"Fine!" I sighed, following Rose as she turned to the doors that led into the Academy. "We'll try, and then we'll fail. Just watch."

_**.M.I.W.**_

And that's pretty much how we ended up in front of Dimitri's room, staring at his rather large and imposing door.

I rocked back on my heels, sticking my hands in my jacket pockets. "You gonna knock, or not?"

She reached out with a fist, almost reaching the door, and then paused.

"I don't have all night." I said.

"But he'll just say no, like you said." She murmured.

I shrugged. "Worth a shot anyway. I've been known to screw over things like this before. It could happen again."

Hesitantly, she knocked three times on the door. Three gentle taps. I looked at her.

"What?" She asked, like she didn't know, looking down at her shoes.

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, for the love of –" I rapped three times on the door. Hard enough so it was actually audible to the ears of human beings.

The door suddenly opened, revealing a very tall Dimitri. This time I had to take a step back just to see him fully, leaving Rose in front of him.

"Rose." He said in surprise, his eyes only on her.

They seemed to share a moment or whatever in that gaze, and I felt like the retarded third wheel. Why did that always happen to me?

Rose cleared her throat nervously. "We, uh, we wanted to ask about the… the…"

"The wards." I said from behind her. His gaze locked on me. "We think the wards are broken. Correction. I _know_ the wards are broken, she thinks they are."

"That's impossible." He informed us. "The new wards were put down a few days ago. I think you're mistaken."

"Eh… not really." I admitted.

"I keep seeing Mason's ghost here." Rose decided to take control of the situation. "When I was at Court, there weren't any. And then when we stopped on the way home," she paused slightly, "they were everywhere. The wards are supposed to keep dead things _out_."

"Excellent logic, if you ask me." I added, then for dramatic repetitive effect: "I'd vouch for her."

Dimitri shook his head. "That's impossible. I'm sorry, but I don't think a Rogue would know much about Dhamphir wards."

"Okay, that was a slap in the face." I informed him. "Seeing as I know a hell of a lot more than you give me credit for –"

"Just forget it, Madi." Rose said. "He'll figure it out when it happens, and then he'll be sorry."

Yeah… he just wouldn't know how sorry he would actually be.

_**.M.I.W.**_

**Okay, I lied. It's not that long. D:**

**But, I'm making up for it! Honestly! Jut correlating chapters to plot! It's difficult when you hardly remember the damn book!**


	11. The Means to Ends

**Okay, my ShoutOuts, author notes, and themesongs take up pretty much an entire page. That's amazingly hilarious.**

**Twenty-five chapters, plus an epilogue and prologue. The chapters having a mean of seven to eight pages. My latest book is finished.**

**And yes, I called everyone who knows I write to tell them, then danced around the house and drank some wine from my brother's graduation in celebration.**

**All right, so, I'm sorry that I didn't post Saturday or Sunday… or Monday. The internet on the computer was being worked on.**

**But, I was thinking about you guys!**

**ShoutOuts ~**

**Nyx's Pinky Girl:**** OMG I DIDN'T KNOW THAT! That's amazing! The rapist… wow. Amazing, again! And yeah, when an agents accepts, I will definitely release the name of my book as soon as it hits maybe online stores.**

**Crazy4MadHatter:**** Thank you! And… yes… attempting to work on descriptions… Will definitely work on that too!**

**Unique Rose:**** You know, I actually DID have fudge brownies earlier today… Agh, damn you! Now I want some more! Lol, and my friend already claimed ownership of first FanFic, but you can have it too! The book is going to be a hit, up with the lines of **_**The Mortal Instruments**_** and maybe **_**Harry Potter**_** and all of those other 'young people' books haha.**

**BookNinja15:**** 140 novels? That's almost obnoxious lol. Where on earth do you keep them all?**

**LittleLottie:**** Thank you so much, and *salutes* yes ma'am!**

**~ THEMESONGS ~**

_**Sinister Kid **_**~ The Black Keys**

_**Outside**_** ~ The Dead Weather**

_**.M.I.W.**_

**11. The Means to Ends**

The beginning of the Vampire Academy morning was already proving to be boring as hell. Maybe it was because I already knew things were going down faster that I had control on, the end of a plot in sight.

A week had passed since Rose's first therapy visit. She would do her guardian duties three times a week, and then therapy for the last four days. Her time with her friends had been limited.

Which meant I really didn't have much to do except hang out with Adrian, and everyone knows how _great_ of an influence he is.

Note the sarcasm in the text above.

At the moment, I was watching him smoke and drink. I mean, taking a few smokes and drinks was great and all, I wasn't about to go off saying that it was evil, but smokes and alcohol were like Adrian's food and water. The only thing that sustained him, kept him alive. I just wasn't at that low level.

Yet.

"Your aura's all gray." Adrian slurred. "And a lil'… a lil' bit of red."

"What else is new?" I grumbled sarcastically. Adrian simply laughed. I rolled my eyes.

"Oh! That aura's getting redder!" He crowed. "You know what I do when I get pissed?"

"Drink?" I inquired.

"_No_!" He said, smiling idiotically.

"Smoke." I decided.

"Nope!" He answered. "I _drink_!"

"Fascinating." I smiled, trying my best not to laugh.

"It is!" He said, throwing a bottle of vodka in my face. "You should try it!"

"I already did when you asked me five minutes ago." I declined politely. "But thanks."

"Oh, c'mon, another shot won't kill ya –"

"_Adrian_!" I half-growled, half-yelled as I jumped up. He accidently (or on purpose) tipped the vodka and poured it down my shirt.

He chortled as I spun around, swiped the bottle out of his hand, and glared at him. "Shoulda' seen your face!" He choked out, still spluttering in amusement.

"Mother fucking jackass!" I seethed, splashing him in return. He froze, looking up at me.

"Your aura's black." He said simply, sounding like a five-year-old that just found out the obvious.

"I wonder why!" I snapped. "I happen to be facing a lot of pressure at the moment. I should be out there doing stuff, and you're in here being piss drunk! God, don't you ever wonder what you want to do with your life! You know you can still smoke and drink to your heart's content and _still_ do something worth your time!"

I grabbed my swords, pulling them over my shoulders in their usual 'x' formation. I'd forgone my rucksack since I was beginning to believe trouble was going to most definitely be afoot sooner or later. I just cast a simple glamour on them to hide it from the eyes of a Moroi or curious Dhamphir I didn't know. Wouldn't want them freaking out for no reason.

Yet.

I tossed him the bottle, which he scrambled to catch.

"I know you're still hung up over Rose and everything, but trust me, it's not worth it." I said as I tightened the straps. "She's in love with someone else. I told you this. Now just… just man up and move on."

_**.M.I.W.**_

I walked around the grounds of the Academy, allowing the cold air to whip past me and cut through my bones. In some masochistic (_Twilight_ word!) kind of way, it felt good. It helped my head clear.

Some students wandered the grounds with their friends, not even seeming to acknowledge my presence, which was cool with me.

I saw Rose, Christian, Lissa, and Eddie, quickly calling them. I decided to join them, since I had nothing better to do.

"Hey," I greeted as I fell in step with the group.

They chorused 'hello's back, and quickly started up their conversation of something I didn't care about.

I glanced around, my eyes suddenly picking up on the slight movement of bushes near us, then ahead behind a tree. Looked a little suspicious to a passing bystander. Looked more than a little threatening to a Nephilim-trained, life-beaten Rogue. I narrowed my eyes, dropped the glamour on my swords, and slowly reached back to grab them.

Rose seemed to notice my nervous maneuver. "Madi, what –"

Dimitri leapt out from behind the tree up ahead, then a huge guy from the bushes, and another girl I hadn't seen. That was stupid.

My first reaction? Do you really have to guess? When your facing a tall, dark haired, tan, sexy guy that was blocking your path in a very threatening way, your first reaction is going to be the 'kill the bastard and run' effect. Not to mention the others joining him.

This time? This time I had to step back, process, and refocus before I went hacking away at some poor, unsuspecting Dhamphir.

Because this, for the first time, wasn't my fight. It wasn't my job to steal the spotlight.

I quickly sheathed my swords that were halfway out, grabbing Christian by the collar of his shirt and towing him back without a word. Eddie had pulled Lissa out of the way just in time too, as the fight ensued.

Eddie took up the front, crowding me out of the way. I was about to ask him what the hell he was doing, but realized it immediately. I shouldn't really even be here.

I quickly backed off and melted in with the fast approaching students, watching in awe as the scene unfolded.

Rose had taken down the guy and girl, her attention now solely fixed on Dimitri. The way the two danced around each other in combat fascinating. They were on the shores of fighting, testing the waters with careful progress.

When they clashed, it was like watching two wildcats have at it, quick and deadly. They would quickly jump away from each other, and then back again a few seconds later. The students talked amongst themselves, saying how their fighting styles were so similar. How it was going to be the student surpassing the teacher. Taking bets on who would win.

I had put a twenty in on Rose.

As soon as I'd turned around from making the bet, Rose was straddling Dimitri's waist, having a stake pointed at his neck. I quickly turned around and snapped my fingers, waiting for that twenty to be replaced with sixty.

When you have two swords on your back, your demands are met quite quickly.

Rose turned and smiled at me in awe, a question in her eyes. I smiled and shrugged, waving my winnings to her to say 'yeah, I did'. She rolled her eyes and laughed, smiling brightly and Christian and Eddie, and hugged Lissa. She waved me over.

I slowly joined the group, and welcomed the exuberant hug Rose gave me. I looked over her shoulder to see Dimitri looking on, pride glimmering in his dark eyes. I smiled at him, winking in reassurance, and he nodded with a smirk of his own.

"Knew you could do it." I told her as I pulled back, "No question."

"Thanks," She grinned breathlessly, and looked at Lissa. "We need to talk." She told her seriously.

_**.M.I.W.**_

**Semi-cliffie, unedited, finished like two seconds before posting, and another short chapter. I'm sorry, I just thought I should feed you guys something.**

**I'm trying to keep up with the timeline, since I barely remember the books, so that's why the chapters are kind of short.**


	12. The Beginning of the End

**Internship is going great, though it is busy. Haven't really started on the third book of my series, but it's whatever for now. I don't really even know how to start it anyways.**

**But! I've finally come to a decision about this story! And it's gonna be schweet!**

**Getting pissed off about the playlist. Moved to a new site. Link is on the profile, and it's pretty sweet. **

**ShoutOuts ~**

**Unique Rose:**** Thank you so much! Once again! I think we went over pretty much everything in the PM's lol, so I have nothing much to reply on your comment. We're insane.**

**Crazy4MadHatter:**** Just for you, Hatter! I give you the gift of description!**

**BloodRaven:**** Thank you, on both accounts! And of course I'll continue writing! I'll respond like Kid Cudi and be like 'homie it's nothin' lol.**

**BookNinja15:**** That's almost obnoxious lol. I don't even have that many books.**

**Nyx's Pinky Girl:**** I know I'm still amazed by it. It just supports the argument against my mother on why I shouldn't go to therapy! *winks* I'm sorry it's late. Hopefully this will make you feel better?**

**LoverGurl10621:**** Oh bejeevus, you're back with your annoying name. ;D Only kidding, missed you heaps, chica! An inspiration? Not really. Just a girl that has an obnoxious sense of humor. But thank you. Tell your friends I said hey!**

**Hey! This didn't take up an entire page!**

**~ THEMESONGS ~**

_**27**_** ~ Fall Out Boy (that happens to be the day of my birth lolz)**

_**.M.I.W.**_

**12. The Beginning of the End**

"So, I said yes to spy on them." Lissa concluded, looking quite satisfied with herself.

We were once again in the cafeteria of the Academy, Rose and I listening intently as Lissa explained the story behind her agreeing to Jesse Zekos and some other dude's invitation to the _Mână_.

I nodded scientifically, while Rose looked pissed. "Sounds like a good idea to me." I noted.

"Are you _nuts_?" Rose demanded. "It's a horrible idea! She's going to get herself hurt!"

"Only hurt, though." I agreed. Her eyes widened, and I shrugged. "Better than getting killed."

"I didn't know you were one of those 'I see the cup half full' kind of people." She noted dryly.

"Is that a problem?" I smiled wryly.

"It just means I can't take you seriously." She replied, going back to eating.

I laughed at that, and looked back at Lissa. "So when are you heading off?"

She checked the time on her watch, and her eyes widened. "Right now, actually." She said as she stood up.

"We'll walk with you, as far as we can." I said, looking carefully at Rose. She nodded stiffly in agreement.

By coincidence, or on purpose, Rose and I flanked either of Lissa's sides as we left the cafeteria.

Unfortunately, just outside were two guys that made Lissa and Rose stop.

"Lissa," One of them spoke up. They were on my side, and I turned and raised an eyebrow. He noticed me, and gaze me a loose look up and down. I narrowed me eyes in response. He smirked, and looked at Lissa. "Are you going to come with us?"

"Yeah," She replied, a little too quickly, as she quickly walked up to them.

Rose immediately tried to follow suit, but I grabbed the sleeve of her thermal and forced her back beside me. "It's a Moroi party only, homes." I whispered.

"So," The guy said, looking at me. "You must be the new guest everyone is talking about. Madi… Verdantia, right?"

"News travels fast around here." I noted, and he smirked again. "And… you are?"

"Jesse Zekos," He held out his hand. I smiled and returned it slightly, trying to pull back. He only held it. "Your skin, it's so soft."

"Huh," I said, a little harshly as I jerked my hand out of his. "Imagine that."

_**.M.I.W.**_

It was when she left that Rose and I stood outside of the school. She sat on one of the stairs, while I was pacing like a psychopath. Finally, I pulled out my swords, flipping them and practicing.

I enjoyed these things. In a few pretenses, Metatron and Sandalphon could kick Jeremeil's ass any day. The twin swords were longer and had a slight arc that made it easier to stab things and create more combinations.

I flipped them around each other, hearing the musicality the blades made as they ghosted through the air. Block, jab with elbow, slice with the other blade. Block with an upper 'x', release, and lunge with both blades, twist. Swipe at first attacker in front, turn around and swipe with other blade before lunging with your original.

This was what I was meant to do.

"Madi!"

I jumped in slight surprise to see Rose already running down the steps and past me. I threw my swords in their scabbards, and ran after her.

"They have her! They're holding her against her will!" She seethed. "They're going to force her to use her compulsion."

"Do you know where they are?" I asked as we sprinted across the grounds.

"I was watching them make the entire trip." She growled, taking a sharp right. I quickly scrambled after her.

My heart was racing, the adrenaline about to be uncapped, and forced on the world with a total vengeance. I brought it back down. I couldn't use it yet. There was a battle to be had yet.

"So, are we going in there with a 'thunder and glory' sort of smack down?" I asked, trying to distract her. "Because I'll be beyond pleased to kick that Jesse kid's ass. His mother fucked him on that name, by the way. And the fact that his face is a little too plastic to be dateable."

We both came to an immediate stop when we saw the group of Moroi before us. The people with their earth element – or whatever trippy thing these hippies called it – were casting stones at Lissa, trying to bait her into using her compulsion.

I reached back and pulled out my swords in a flash, and stepped forward –

"Oh for the love of God!" Rose said in exasperation as she towed me back to her side.

I furrowed my eyebrows. "What?"

"Swords?" She asked as she gestured to Metatron and Sandalphon. "Really?"

I looked at my swords, twirling them in my palms. "Uh, yeah?"

"Seriously? Against a bunch of kids?"

I shrugged, but stowed them anyway. "Can never be too careful."

Before she could reply with some sort of scathing comment, there was a loud scream of pure terror, setting my teeth on edge. Rose and I gave each other a look, and then tore down the hill faster than either of us probably thought possible.

Rose and I surged into the mass of already-panicking students, Rose racing straight for Lissa who – for the first time I'd met her – had a murderous look in her eye.

And then there was Jesse Zekkos, absolutely frozen in fear. Students were scrambling everywhere, and I grabbed one by the shoulder of their shirt, dragging him back to me.

He yelped in surprise, and I guessed he was probably middle school age. "We didn't mean to!" He cried, and my smile grew.

"Be a sport and get your Dhamphirs." I told him as I released his shirt. His eyes were wide and terrified, still standing in front of me. I raised an eyebrow when he hadn't moved. I waved my hand. "Well, go on."

He turned tail and raced right back to the Academy.

"All right! All right!" I yelled as the students still frenzied, waving my arms as I parted through the huge crowd surrounding Zekkos. Some turned, and then caught other people's attention to make them look at me. "Move aside!" I yelled, pushing and shoving as I went. "Stand aside, dammit!"

I was finally in front of Jesse, and kneeled down to his side. He was almost seizure-like. I sighed, Lissa's control still on him. I looked up to see Rose finally doing what she had to, taking Lissa's element into her.

Jesse's convulsions subsided into trembling, and he looked up at me.

"Am I – Am I dead?" He asked in a broken whisper.

"Nope, but you're an idiot." I told him, attempting to pull him up. But, of course being only five three, you can't do all that much.

Dhamphirs swarmed down the hill, making students move aside and ordering them back to their rooms. They passed me, seemed as if they knew who I was (maybe it was the swords).

Two male Dhamphirs helped up Jesse, muttering amongst each other to take him to the infirmary. I didn't say anything, straightening up and turning around –

Rose looked absolutely pissed.

No, she was quite a bit more than that. By some considerable measures, she was quite a bit more than 'absolutely pissed'. I think 'absolutely pissed' was the metaphorical pit stop in Atlanta, traveling west to where she was sitting happily now in China.

Hey, that actually made a little bit of sense!

"Rose…" I said, but it was too late

"That _bastard_!" She screamed at the very top of her lungs, and took to running at the speeds of rockets, cheetahs, missiles, speeding bullets – whatever you wanted to call it, she was gunning it.

I turned to see Jesse's eyes widen, and the Dhamphirs holding him having no idea what to make of it.

I rolled my eyes and sighed loudly as I watched her coming. Looks like I was the one to be taking care of things. Again.

I sprang forward, tackling Rose to the ground. It was quite amazing, like two football players clashing at their top speeds. Since Rose was taller than I was, I was the one who flew and twisted through the air, pulling her down with me.

She hit the grass hard, her eyes flaming in rage. "Let go of me!" She snarled, wrenching free.

I quickly pulled a spin kick, making her fall flat on her face. I jumped over her, standing in front of Jesse, holding my hands out in front of me slightly. "Rose, come on –"

Whatever else witty and charming was going to come out of my mouth quickly turned into breathless cursing and loud expletives as she rammed right into me, punching me in the stomach. I wheezed in surprise, and grabbed her throat, forcing her to the side.

"All right, come on!" I snapped back, holding my arms out. "Like the ever famous Pat Benatar, hit me with your best shot!"

And, also like the ever famous Pat Benatar said with her somewhat clichéic songs, Rose fired away.

My head snapped to the right, pain already throbbing in my left eye. I could feel my adrenaline start pumping at that, and I tackled her head on.

Only I didn't get the chance, because two strong arms pulled Rose back. I looked up to see Dimitri's grim face. Two arms attempted to pull me back, just above my elbows, but I quickly relaxed, shaking them off.

"I'm fine." I said coolly, and the arms vanished.

Rose was still kicking and screaming to get at Jesse, and Dimitri continued to pull her back. Lissa looked on with horror, and I walked to her side. She looked at me worriedly. "Madi, I'm so –"

I waved her off. "Don't worry about me, I get it."

We watched as Alberta gave Dimitri some terse order, and he pulled Rose away. When his eyes met mine, I smirked, and wrapped my arm around Lissa protectively. "Come on," I said, gently guiding her away. "Let's go somewhere safe."

"Safe." Lissa repeated, her voice hollow.

"Yes, safe." I smiled.

_**.M.I.W.**_

Lissa and I met up with Christian and Eddie. Eddie looked a little paler than usual, Christian taking Lissa in his arms as he held her tightly. Eddie and I nodded to each other, though I got the feeling he would never exactly warm up to me. Every time I joined the group he'd give me a weird look.

But whatever, I wasn't here to make friends. I was here to get a job done.

"What happened to your eye?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

I shrugged slightly, though internally started freaking out. "Rose. One hell of a punch, that one."

"That's right." Lissa said, pulling away from Christian and grabbing my arm. "Let me fix it."

"Um, I don't know –"

But she already sat me down on a chair in one of the common rooms, in front of a fire blazing warmly in the fireplace. She grabbed a chair across from me and scooted it closer. She leaned in, and pressed her hand to my face.

"Hey, ow!" I flinched back, and batted her hand. "Stop it!"

"Do you not want to get rid of this?" She demanded.

I frowned.

She scooted closer to me once again, brought her hand closer to my face. "Now just hold still." She ordered.

Her hand was cool against my skin, lightly touching the bruise that I had a feeling was beginning to form. She closed her eyes in concentration, and I felt it.

It was a warm tingle that washed over the side of my face, making the pain go away. My eyes widened in slight surprise.

When Lissa pulled her hand away, I reached back and pulled out Sandalphon in a flash. Lissa jumped back in surprise, but I ignored her. I held the blade close to see myself, and saw that there was nothing there. My skin wasn't black or blue. Just pale as it always was. My eyes widened in even further surprise.

"What?" She asked, looking a little nervous.

I shook my head, sheathing my sword. "It's just cool." I replied.

She smiled slightly, and I smiled back.

_**.M.I.W.**_

I walked around the inside of the Academy, just getting a feel. I hadn't seen much of the inside of the place before. My stomach twisted slightly every time I thought of the approaching battle, growing sick of the anticipation.

Then, after about five minutes of doing this, I was beginning to grow impatient. How long did it take for them to… to… ugh, you know, just fuck it. Oh, damn! I didn't mean to say it like that! I didn't mean to say it at all! _Agh!_

I leaned against the railing at the top of the stairs, looking down at the main lobby of the Academy. I rested my elbows on the hearty wood, rubbing my eyes in frustration.

Hearing soft footsteps coming towards me down the hallway, I looked up to see Alberta. She gave me a wary look, and I nodded politely. She gave no acknowledgement whatsoever, and walked down the stairs.

"Figures." I muttered, watching her walk into the lobby of the Academy. She looked so small from up here.

Then, as if by some coincidence – or my ability to mentally will things to happen was _just_ that amazing, thank you – Rose burst open the doors to the Academy. My eyes widened in response, and Alberta paused.

"Alberta!" Rose cried. "Strigoi – Strigoi are attacking!"

I grinned darkly, and dove for the stairs. I grappled the railing and vaulted myself on it, sliding down it with ease. It sent a wave of terror and excitement through me, spiking the adrenaline. Just what I needed.

"That's impossible." Alberta said. "There's no –"

"She's right!" I said as I joined their side, Alberta jumping slightly to the side so I wouldn't run her over.

"He said for me to say _buria_." Rose gasped.

Alberta's eyes widened, and she turned to a Dhamphir just walking out from the hallway. "_Buria_!" She shouted at the top of her lungs.

He nodded and ran back the way he came, sounding the alarm as he went.

I grinned, feeling my heart pound in my chest.

I pulled out my swords in a flash. "_Metatron_! _Sandalphon_!" I pretty much snarled in excitement. They lit up like lightning, a furious brightness that made my eyes water just by looking at them.

I shivered in delight, barely noticing Rose's and Alberta's widened eyes.

"Fuck yeah, bitch." I said, and tore out of the Academy like I had death on my heels.

Oh, that's right. I did.

_**.M.I.W.**_

**There's the Madi we all know and love!**

**I really thought Madi's relationship with Rose was going to be a lot different. But, as always, Madi is filled with surprises.**


	13. The End

**Getting frustrated as hell with my book. I have no freaking idea on how to start it. Well, I mean I do, but at the same time I don't. So, I'm distracting myself.**

**I'm not sure when I'm going to put out the next chapter, so don't take it personally if you didn't get a ShoutOut. I just wanted to crank this one out as fast as I could.**

**Note:**_**There is **_**a lot**_** of swearing in this chapter. With good cause though.**_

**ShoutOuts ~**

**BloodRaven:**** Aww, thank you. I love Madi's attitude too.**

**BookNinja15:**** Well, lucky for you, you didn't have to wait long. ;P**

**~ THEMESONGS ~**

_**Rolling in the Deep**_** ~ Adele (oh fuck yeah it's a Madi song)**

_**Wicked Messenger**_** ~ The Black Keys**

_**.M.I.W.**_

**13. The End**

Running through the Academy grounds had never been so easy. I sprinted across the lush green grass, and leapt into the forest. I was on a worn trail as soon as I got in, and followed it, listening for the sounds of battle sure to approach.

I raced through the forest, my boots hitting the thudding against the scratchy, dry soil as I bounced off of them, letting myself fly. My heart raced, I could feel the blood rushing through my ears, my head almost tingling with the dormant natural adrenaline and gene enhancer getting ready to mix.

Then, I felt it.

A snap throughout my entire body that always felt so painful, but so good at the same time. I stumbled over my feet slightly, taking in the largest breath I could. I could see everything clearer, hear more, feel more strength coursing through me.

Which meant I could hear the sounds of feet running through the forest, barely making a sound.

I jumped off of the trail and into the forest, nearly running into trees on my rampage of doom.

"There you are." I practically purred at the sight of Strigoi swarming towards me.

They came to a sudden halt, looking somewhat affronted at the sight of me. Some snarled in response, and I grinned darkly in return. My heart pounded like a steady war drum, filling me with a warmth I'd never felt from anything except this.

In mere seconds that felt like hours, I decided to break the stare down, and flipped my swords. Then, I charged.

Most of them growled, seemingly enraged at the challenge, and decided to be the idiots and meet me head on.

My blades grew brighter at the prospect, making some of them shriek in protest as the light came straight at them. Without a thought, I chopped off one of their heads with Metatron, while Sandalphon was lodged in the heart of the second Strigoi.

One of them came at me, and I jerked my left elbow in its face, jerking Sandalphon out of the Strigoi's chest and pulling in a fast, feral moving arc that sailed straight through the neck of the Strigoi I'd elbowed.

Its blood spattered from its neck, sprinkling on the sleeves of my jacket.

I ducked at the sight of a pale hand coming straight for my face, dropping to my knees, swiping at the stomach of a Strigoi. It cried out as it fell, a head or so above me on its knees, and I pulled my swords out and chopped its head without question.

Its head toppled forward, showering my face with blood and down my shirt where it nestled in my lap, face up, still twisted in shock. I snarled in disgust, and shoved the head off of me, pulling back once the body fell forward and out of its way.

Time always seemed so strangely slow like this. Every move flowed from me without question, without second thought. Like it was instinct.

I leapt up once again, pulling out both blades at the same time and swinging them at the exact same time in the same direction, cutting through another too surprised Strigoi's neck. I landed on my feet, already flipping my swords back, and striking straight through the chests or backs of two unfortunate Strigoi.

Another came straight at me, and I leaned back – forcing the two who still held my swords lodged in them – to rear and kick him in the stomach. He fell to the flat of his back, and I jerked out my swords, stabbing Metatron in the latest vampire's neck.

Sandalphon flew up as an arm descended upon me in a sharp block. I quickly twisted Metatron's blade in the vampire's neck and jerked out, swiping at the stomach and giving a great cut.

It shrieked in pain, making me grind my teeth in distaste. I let Sandalphon fly, severing the head of the vampire and silencing its cries forevermore.

"You should know to be frightened of the night, human." One hissed as she took to engage me. I grinned and flipped my swords in invitation.

"Maybe it's you who should be frightened." I replied.

She let out an animalistic shriek, and ran forward. I grinned and ran her head on.

I ducked as she flew above me, twisting myself out of the way while leaving two shallow marks on her side. Dark crimson, darker than human blood, flowed out and onto her shirt. She didn't even seem to notice, running at me again.

Not expecting that, I quickly pulled my swords up in a sharp 'x' above my head and blocked her hands. Her palms on the blades, she sneered down at me, digging her skin into my seraphs. Blood trickled down the shining blade, landing on my face or in my mouth since I was fighting to also breathe.

It was bitter as it slid down my throat on its own accord.

I coughed in surprise, pulling back, allowing a temporary weakness as I gagged. "That's disgusting!" I coughed.

She barreled into me without taking the time to respond, both of us hitting a tree. My swords flew from my hands at the surprise on my own behalf. Intelligent, Madi, real intelligent.

The tree cracked under the force she plowed me for. It groaned, and my eyes widened as we fell back with the tree. The trunk hit the ground, and she laid her full wait on me, her wrists tightening on mine and forcing them above my head. She grinned down at me, her features twisted in uncontrollable bloodlust.

"Your blood," She purred, "It _hums_ with life."

My heart started pounding in slight fear now, and her eyes twinkled in satisfaction.

"Scared now, human?" She inquired, her sharp nails digging into my wrists. I gasped, struggling to pull away. She leaned against my ear, her frosty breath washing over me and making me shudder in disgust. "Good."

I narrowed my eyes sharply, kneeing her in the stomach. I forced her off of me and surged forward, scrabbling to grab one of my swords.

She tackled into me again, but I had the upper hand. Metatron shined as soon as I wrapped my hand around the hilt, and I twisted around and ran her straight through. She gasped in surprise, her eyes widening as her breath shuddered.

"Me? Scared?" I scoffed, twisting the blade. She let out a slight moan of pain. "That will _never_ happen."

I rolled out from under her, grabbing Sandalphon in the process. By this time most of the vampires had ran towards the Academy. I gave one last, scathing look at the creepy vampiress that I'd just taken down, and charged after them.

As soon as I'd made it out of the forest – without stopping – I realized they were heading for the elementary school, and that made my blood boil. I ran after them, brandishing my swords in a way that would have Jace Wayland on his knees, begging for a shot at this kill-fest.

Only did my ease somewhat shy into the play when I saw Rose and Christian fighting with the Strigoi.

"Hey!" I barked, already in the process of decapitating these stupid, undead bastards. Rose perked up, and paused slightly as I grinned at her.

"Madi!" She said in surprise.

I spun around after hearing the sound of a Strigoi coming at me, stabbing it with Metatron, swiping off its head with Sandalphon. Yes, I grinned when it fell and the body crumpled.

Two of the vampires faced me at once, looking beyond livid.

"All right." I growled. "Which one of you leeches is first?"

I supposed that they just couldn't decide, because they both came at me at once.

I ducked, already making a drop kick on the first vampire. As it fell, it glared at me with such an ice, its lips curled back in a feral snarl. I merely grinned and flipped Metatron to reassure myself, then swept sharply through the air and cut off the vamp's head in the process.

Feeling the light brush of a hand just about to touch my shoulder, I spun around, back to my feet again, Metatron's tip digging into the other Strigoi's chest. "Oh, no you don't." I grinned savagely, already taking off its head in the process.

I spun around just in time to see a Strigoi coming at Christian he'd failed to notice. I sprinted forward, pulling my swords together in an 'x'. Once I was on the Strigoi, it gave a slight shriek of fear, but was quickly silenced as I sliced through its neck with both blades. Blood squirted out of it like a fountain, and its body crumpled before me.

Silence.

A strange silence descended in the rotunda outside of the elementary school.

My breathing was only slightly ragged, compared to Christian and Rose's gasps for air. I scanned the area quickly, only to see we'd managed to slay every monstrosity that came our way. I looked at Rose and grinned slightly at her shocked expression.

"What's your number?" She demanded, still out of breath.

"Um… I don't even know." I replied, after giving it some thought. "I headed some off before they came, but I was slightly waylaid, so I couldn't dispatch the rest."

"I was right." Rose suddenly said, piquing my interest.

"About what?" I inquired.

"You _are_ a hitman."

I could crack a grin at that. "I prefer assassin."

"I'm sure you do." She rolled her eyes. "Now, come on, we've got to –"

A high pitched scream made all of us fall silent. A Strigoi had run out of the elementary school, right past us, with a teacher in his arms who was screaming bloody murder.

I was already running after it.

The thing was fast, I'd give it that. But with my adrenaline-slash-gene enhancer combo, I was just as fast. It turns out Strigoi in this world aren't like the flitting vampires we see in _Twilight_, or dear ol' _Cirque du Freak_. They run fast all right, but maybe fast Nephilim speed.

Then again, I didn't have a screaming person on my shoulders.

Still, I could work with that.

The Strigoi had just passed through the tree line of the forest, running around a fallen tree in the process. I simply vaulted over it, using the extra speed as an advantage.

Once the Strigoi was close enough, I took the ever-so graceful form of tackling it to the ground.

The woman Moroi flew out of his hands, trading her out for me. An angered gleam was in his eye, only portraying pure fury. I grabbed both sides of his head without a second thought, and twisted as hard as I could, until I heard that telltale sickening _pop_.

That was how you could disable vampires, if only for a short time.

Not this one.

His fingers merely tightened on my shoulders, and before I knew it, my back was forced into a tree, pressed against by a more than annoyed vampire, and my arms trapped by his hands.

My stomach lurched when he pulled his neck back into alignment.

"Well, well, well," He snarled, "Looks like we've got a little human pretending to be Dhamphir."

"Pretending?" I asked in faux shock. "I didn't know this was a masquerade! Though that would explain that ugly as fuck mask, or is that just your face? Pray tell, what homeless shelter did you get that bag from?"

A painful fire rolled through my arms as he jerked them back, and I yelped in surprise. I glared up at the Strigoi.

"You would be a little more respectful if you knew what you were dealing with, _human_." He growled threateningly.

"Maybe I'd be a little more respectful if I didn't, _bloodsucker_." I replied just as stonily.

He cracked a sick grin at that, and before I could even make another move, there was a sharp pain in my neck, radiating throughout my body.

I let out a shriek, surprised more than anything else. It took me a second to realize that this… this sick monster was drinking my blood.

Before I knew it, my head was getting light, and I couldn't see straight, my arms growing heavier at my sides. The adrenaline-gene enhancer combination in my body was also wearing. I could feel it on its last legs, flickering dully in and out. It only added to the exhaustion.

I could feel something thick and warm sliding down my neck, making my stomach churn in disgust and my own blood trying to save itself unnecessarily.

With a huge amount of effort, I turned my head to his exposed neck, doing the only thing I could even think of.

I bit him.

Of, course, it got the desired effect. The Strigoi recoiled, at the price of having some of his blood being swallowed accidently in the process.

"Do you know what you have done?" He demanded incredulously.

My whole body was shaking as I slowly reached back, pulling out Metatron. He was a lot heavier than I remembered.

"Yeah," I said as I gripped the sword in two hands. "And there's going to be hell to pay."

Without another word to be exchanged, I lifted my sword, and let it fly in a fast arc, chopping off the Strigoi's head.

I dropped to my knees at the same time as the fallen vampire crumpled. The Moroi I'd saved had run over to my side, saying things I didn't hear. I was on my hands and knees, willing to make the madness stop.

I threw up.

Surprisingly, the Moroi had stayed by my side, saying things in a soothing voice as she held my hair back. I heaved once again, and did so until nothing would come up. I gasped, feeling the metallic in my mouth, my whole body shaking, begging for rest that would not come for some time. Oh well, at least that vampire blood was gone from my system.

Slowly, I managed to stand to my feet.

"Are – Are you all right?" The Moroi asked. She was young, pretty, like any elementary school teacher should be. She had that motherly face on that she probably used on her kids.

I shrugged her off and nodded, stowing my sword into its scabbard. "We need to – We have to get back." I said hoarsely.

I slowly staggered to my feet, leaning against a nearby tree for support. The world was spinning, I was breathless. I took a few moments to collect myself, and pushed off of the tree, leading the way back to the elementary school, the teacher Moroi close behind.

Then, as I walked around another tree, I accidently ran into the back of Alberta. I stumbled back in surprise, my vision going spottier and spottier as I pulled back.

The Dhamphir spun around, eyes glistening in fear and readiness. Her stake was poised and ready, already making a beeline down for my chest. I heard the Moroi let out a shriek of pure terror behind me as the stake hit me.

I screamed at the pain that roared through me like a wild fire. The stake sunk into my chest. Jesus Christ, it was Idris all over again! Whatever exhaustion was there had now become complete and utter shock.

"Holy mother fucking _shit_!" I screamed as I sunk to my knees, everyone shouting around me. "What the fucking hell? God, how the fuck did I know? How the fuck did I know? I just knew it! I just _knew_ you were going to stab me!"

Heavy tears sprung in my eyes at the pain, and I fell on my back, still staring incredulously at the silver steak imbedded just underneath my collarbone on my right side. Alberta kneeled to my side, supporting me as best she could, mumbling apologies I was too shocked to hear.

"Jesus _Christ_!" I cried. "What the fucking hell, man? How the fucking hell could you _stab_ me!"

Alberta gently touched the stake, and I screamed as white hot pain shot through me. "It's all right –"

"Are you _shitting_ me?" I demanded incredulously, my throat already growing raw from screaming at the top of my lungs. "You've got to be fucking kidding me! You stabbed me! You fucking stabbed me with a goddamn _fucking_ stake!"

I passed out from pain and trauma.

Fuck my life.

_**.M.I.W.**_

**I know it's not funny, but Madi just always seems to make a horrible situation hilarious.**

**Didn't wanna go into too much graphics on the throw up scene, so I kept it short and simple. Yes?**

**Okay, come on. Alberta just stabbed Madi! I **_**know**_** you wanna comment on this one.**


	14. Down but Out

**The new playlist is amazing, but I'm attempting to work out the kinks. **

**In the meantime, if you're curious about the music, just Google it.**

**And writer's block being killed. :)**

**ShoutOuts ~**

**Nyx's Pinky Girl:**** Of course you can! I do it all the time! And yes, writer's block is currently kicking my ass, so we aren't on speaking terms.**

**Unique Rose:**** Thank you! And I agree. Maybe I should give Madi a break… but… How lame would that be?**

**Crazy4MadHatter:**** Heck yes!**

**BloodRaven:**** Lol, of course. Madi has a way with words. And thank you! **

**BookNinja15: ****Your comment just made me laugh, Fluffy. But thank you lots. I'm glad you liked it!**

**~ THEMESONGS ~**

_**New Perspective**_** ~ Panic! At the Disco**

_**Hard Row**_** ~ The Black Keys (I'm such a junkie for these guys)**

_**.M.I.W.**_

**14. Down but Out**

"I think the saddest part of this was that I knew it was going to happen." I said as I felt the tingling of Lissa's element working on my stab wound.

We were in the hospital-area-type-place. Moroi and Dhamphirs alike lay on beds or sat in them, all in different degrees of injury. I think some were even in a life or death situation. Lissa had said it was only an hour and a half since I had fainted (ugh, fail). The doctors or nurses had explained that they were just keeping me until I'd regained from my heavy blood loss. Which meant juice and crackers being shoved down my throat. There were still five unopened bags of an assortment of crackers and cookies and three unused cartons of juice on the tray next to me.

This saying, there were about four _huge_ bottles of Gatorade downed (since the juice boxes had been a last resort when they saw how fast I was going through the Gatorade), and six empty cracker and cookie bags.

She smiled slightly, and I focused on her again. "It was mistaken identity. You just caught her off guard."

"Yes, and once again I'm left as the defenseless victim. She should just be lucky that I was… out of it."

I watched as the stab wound – which yes, was disgusting, thank you for caring – heal before my eyes, only leaving behind a perfectly round, purple scar.

When I looked up, I saw Lissa frown. She looked tired. "I can do that for now. Is that all right?"

I nodded. "If it's all right, I'll just keep it like this."

I kind of wanted to keep it as a reminder. A reminder of Rhonda's fortune. A reminder that I was probably going to die at any moment, and that it was probably going to come sooner or later. This being said, I was going to be pretty pissed off if I died.

Because, really, dying of a _mistaken identity_? Who wanted that?

If I were to die in some sort of battle (they're coming up a lot), I would want to die with blazing glory, fighting against incredible odds, and bringing a lot of them down with me. I wanted my enemies to be scared of me.

Yes, I know, I'm a sadistic loser, but come on. Who wants to die (in battle) being mistaken for the enemy? Am I _that_ pale?

Rolling my eyes at the thought, I straightened up and swung my feet off of the bed. My blood rushed up to my head, making me lightheaded. I rocked slightly, but quickly shook it off, and jumped up. I straightened out the tough, Shadowhunter gear top, and stepped towards the chair next to my cot.

"What are you doing?" Lissa demanded as I grabbed my jacket. "You've got to be kidding me. You just got stabbed!"

"I think I would know if I just got stabbed or not." I reminded her. "In fact, I remember quite clearly yelling about how the woman had stabbed me with some… colorful language to mix it up. Besides, you just healed me. What's your point?"

She didn't say anything at that. I smirked, straightening my jacket on my shoulders. I then pulled on my swords over my shoulders, and tightened the straps.

"That's what I thought." I informed her as I walked past her, my riding boots clicking on the ground. "Now, I've got to go. We aren't done just yet."

_**.M.I.W.**_

I had reached the church probably five minutes ago, but I was a bit on the fence about going in.

I mean, even though I'm atheist, I didn't have a problem with going into churches on any moral grounds. But, of course, I usually stayed clear of them for those moral grounds. If I had to, then I would.

But that was before I learned that a greater demon had given (is 'given' too positive a word?) me strange powers to travel through dimensions. And I didn't exactly hate him for it. In fact, I was kind of glad he did. So _that_ must mean if there were some cosmic grounds of good and evil, I would be on the literal highway to hell.

You can laugh at that.

And then I willingly allow myself to be cursed with some kind of apathy spell. That can't entirely be good either.

So, finally, I guessed those issues wouldn't exactly bother me… unless Victor hadn't said that whole 'OMG you're not holy' spiel. I tightened the straps on my seraphs and swallowed nervously.

Whatever, this was stupid. There was nothing wrong. I wasn't cursed by some thing from hell, and I wasn't going to scare myself into thinking that I would get 'smited' or something equally retarded.

And apparently, you can't put the word 'smite' into a past tense. Because 'smout' isn't a word either.

I pushed open the heavy oak doors of the church.

There weren't many people in here, I soon noticed first. They were scattered about the pews, their heads either bowed, or whispering quietly amongst themselves. I found Rose sitting near the back, staring blankly ahead.

I quickly joined her side, frowning at the vacant look in her eyes. "Hi." I greeted so intelligently.

Finally recognizing my presence, she glanced at me, and then back ahead. "You're awake."

"Yeah," I smirked, but quickly furrowed my eyebrows while waving dismissively. "Stab wounds, though. Really take your breath away."

"I heard something about that."

I shrugged. "All part of the job description. Besides, I'm not done yet. We've got that raid to fight in."

"Already gunning to get back out there?" She smiled. It was hollow, though, not reaching her eyes. "After killing, like, twenty Strigoi?"

"I don't think it was twenty." I mused. "Maybe around that number."

She laughed without mirth. "You're insane. If you fight like this all the time, you're going to kill yourself."

I shrugged. "Well, seeing as I'm going to die anyway, I kind of figure there's no point in not doing it right."

Rose paused, darkness flickering in her eyes. An awkward silence descended on us. I tightened the strings on my hand and wrist guards.

"I'm sorry," She admitted, "I forgot."

I smiled slightly. "Well, you know. There are a lot more important things to deal with at the moment. I'm sorry about Dimitri, by the way."

She frowned, slumping back into the pew a little more. "You didn't see him?"

"I ran out there for him." I said, "But… there was a wave of Strigoi coming at me. I couldn't make it past them."

She nodded, fiddling with a bracelet. I looked around the church, slouching in the pew more before finally deciding to put my feet up on the top of the back of the pew in front of me.

"This must be business as usual for you, huh?" Rose suddenly asked.

I shrugged, examining my riding boots from afar. "A new usual."

"How new?"

"Almost a year now."

"And how many times have you done this in _almost-a-year-now_?"

I leaned my head back against the pew. "Including this one?"

"Yes."

"Five."

"How do you know how to fight?" Rose demanded incredulously.

I raised an eyebrow and lolled my head to the side to look at her. "What is this? Twenty questions?"

She continued to look at me earnestly.

I sighed and looked ahead at the alter. "Mainly extreme circumstances. Thinking before acting. Just hitting with everything I had, and getting the crap kicked out of me if I did it wrong."

She continued looking at me with what seemed like a 'you just gave me B.S.' kind of look. She sighed and began to mess with that bracelet on her wrist. "Sorry," she muttered, "Just trying to forget."

I shrugged.

"I guess my 'teacher' was my cousin-of-sorts. Jace. Now, this guy is like, a head taller than me. _And_ he's one of the most kickass people you would ever meet. Sometimes he's more die hard than I am. He taught me how to fight with swords, because I was horrible when I first started out. And when I mean horrible, I mean _horrible_."

I smirked at the memory. Jace had asked me to show him what I could do with a sword, and when I tried to flip it, it had flown out of my hand and across the room. It had been night after night of drill work and practice from then on.

"Was he one of those people?" She murmured. "The ones that kill – killed vampires for fun?"

"They don't do that." I laughed. "I was just trying to scare Dashkov. But they can do everything else."

"Oh."

"Yup."

Again, another silence.

"What did Rhonda mean?" She asked, and I internally rolled my eyes. Since when was everyone so interested in my life all of a sudden?

"About what?" I asked in response anyway.

"She said that you did something in your past. Twice. Something that anyone else would do too."

A sickening dread was beginning to grow at the pit of my stomach, making me feel hollow. I quickly shook my head. "It's nothing."

"Come on," Rose said, attempting to joke. "You know everything about me."

I nodded experimentally at that. "True." I consented.

She waited. I didn't say anything. Her hopeful smile dropped to a scowl. She turned and faced the front of the church as I was. "Fine." She grumbled.

"Thank you."

_**.M.I.W.**_

"There you are." Christian sighed in relief as soon as he saw Rose and I walk through the doors of the front entrance of the Academy. I raised an eyebrow at the assembled students – Moroi and Dhamphir – talking in hurried voices, looking nervous.

Rose furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "What –"

"What's going on?" Alberta demanded in her usual 'I'm the queen of the universe' tone.

Everyone fell silent as they turned to look at Alberta and a few other of her Dhamphir friends, looking like they were ready for a showdown of epic proportions. Alberta's gaze landed on me, and I managed a slight wave. Something flickered in them, but she quickly turned her attention on Christian.

"We want to fight." Christian informed her, stepping forward. "All of us. We think we can be of use."

"So you think you can fight?" I mused in a telecaster's voice so it sounded like the latest installment of _So You Think You Can Dance?_

Alberta sent me another wary look, and I shrugged helplessly in response. I wasn't even that loud. "Still no sense of humor," I muttered under my breath, making Rose smile slightly.

After some more bickering and arguing amongst the adults and students (which I paid no attention to, because I knew I was going no matter what), the adults caved. I simply smiled and nodded in fake excitement to all of the kiddies who got their way.

"Get yourselves ready," Alberta informed them, "We leave in one hour."

_**.M.I.W.**_

**I think it's safe to say that I have been a horrible reader when it comes to this series. How sad.**

**Bet you didn't think I was going to tell the secret of Madi's awesomeness, now did you? Jace is our king! I might consider a one-shot of that.**

**I think Madi's next appearance should be in a Progressive commercial. Flo is so funny. xD**

**And I just wrote a major portion of this chapter in a Borders bookstore. They should sponsor me now, or something.**


	15. Hate the Romance

**Okay, so, for those of you who don't know, I'm a HUGE Marshall Mathers freak! For those of you who aren't so hip-hopically inclined, that's Eminem.**

**The reason why I mention this, is because I just finished watching **_**8 Mile**_** for the first time. I went nuts! Every five seconds I wanted to jump in that movie and hug Rabbit! **

**I don't know how he does it, and I don't really care, but Eminem just makes my life feel better.**

**Thank you, Dr. Dre, for supporting Eminem! Chances are Mathers wouldn't be famous without him. And, yes, I love Dr. Dre just as much. He's got one of THE COOLEST rap voices ever!**

**This is an opinion, but I feel quite fangirl-ish right now.**

**And I also went back to the old playlist, because Mixpod sucks. The music is gone, like, the next day after I add it to the list!**

**ShoutOuts ~**

**Unique Rose:**** Before the caves, haha. Aw, crap… Sorry, I'm pretty sure I've butchered this story. And for real? I made fudge brownies!**

**Crazy4MadHatter:**** Ah, yes, thank you. Madi and her prophecies are beast. And Madi will stick around for…**

**BookNinja15:**** Fluffeh! Thank you so much, and we're on the same page. Especially if you don't have the books as reference? Ugh, insane.**

**Nyx's Pinky Girl:**** That'd be awesome if she would, but…**

**LoverGurl10621:**** Holy crap, you just made my day about ten times better. And that's saying a lot because I have to wait another day in getting my light brown boyfriend blazer. *sigh* So sad. Oh wow haha! Thank you so much! And tell Derek I said thanks too, and hello! Don't worry, Adrian does return!**

**~ THEMESONGS ~**

_**The Modern Age **_**~ The Strokes**

_**Drop the World**_** ~ Lil' Wayne ft. Eminem (duh!)**

_**I Can't Win**_** ~ The Strokes (having a current obsession)**

_**.M.I.W.**_

**15. Hate the Romance**

In a couple of hours, it would be morning. I flipped my swords patiently, my gaze fixed on the cave entrance in front of us.

Dhamphirs and Moroi flanked around the entrance, all with grim or frightened faces. I think I was the only one actually looking forward to this.

"Are we waiting out here for a reason?" I inquired pleasantly to Alberta, who was standing at my side.

Her eyes glinted with some emotion I couldn't detect, and didn't exactly want to. She didn't reply, and I sighed. Rolling my eyes, I loosened up once again, trying to ease my always tightening muscles and erratic heartbeat.

"How can you do it?" Rose demanded from my other side.

I raised an eyebrow as I looked at her, seeing as there was nothing else to do. "Do what?"

"That… _you_!" She hissed incredulously, waving her arm dramatically to me.

I furrowed my eyebrows, trying to understand where she was coming from. I had nothing. I shook my head, slowly. "I'm not following you."

"You're just so calm. Like you don't even care. Like this isn't a big deal, even when you know what's coming."

"Oh." I answered. "That."

"Yeah, _that_." She rolled her eyes, waiting for me to continue.

I looked back at the cave entrance, seeing Alberta talking to a small group of Dhamphirs. They were discussing something hurriedly, tightening their grips on their stakes and tensing their muscles.

"How are you not scared?" Rose asked.

I shrugged. "I don't think about it."

"That doesn't make sense."

"Does it?" I challenged immediately. "I have a… problem with overanalyzing things. If I thought about doing this instead of just doing it, I probably wouldn't be able to go through with it. And then what use would I be?"

She laughed slightly. "You're insane."

I smirked. "Better than being normal."

The Dhamphirs that Alberta just talked to had run into the cave.

Silence graced the fighters.

I tensed myself for a run.

Silence.

The air was thick with it. No one moved, no one spoke, no one even seemed to breathe. I waited, the metal of my uncalled swords glinted in the moonlight.

Silence.

My grip tightened on my swords.

There! A sound! A light scuffling.

Everyone was sent right on edge. Moroi held out their hands in defense, Dhamphirs already twirling their stakes.

"_Metatron_, _Sandalphon_." I whispered, and my swords burst into light.

The scuffling grew louder.

I began to bounce on the balls of my feet.

Then, a figure emerged. A young girl, probably a student. She was already bloody. "They saw us coming!" She yelled out. "But they're alive!"

I was already running, a swarm of Dhamphirs behind me. The sounds of battle were on. There were battle cries and leaders barking orders, footsteps pounding in the earth. Shouts of excitement.

And then it all died as soon as I entered the caves. My swords were bright, like flashlights on the walls. Footsteps of Dhamphirs behind me echoed throughout the cave, as with my own, and we ran.

The sounds of the newbies and their yelling were just behind us, and I glanced over at one of the Dhamphirs running beside me.

"Tell them to shut the hell up!" I hissed.

He nodded, barking back quiet orders that made them quiet.

There was already a Strigoi ahead of us. I whipped my swords, still running, and gave a fast, furious whack at the creature with both swords, not even pausing to finish the kill. The monster spun around at the force and smacked into the wall, and I continued to sprint forward, letting someone else have it.

It was then that a mass of Strigoi had met us head on. It all felt rather surreal. Fighting in caves, the only light coming from my swords as I swung down on the first Strigoi to touch me. Poetic, really.

The seraphs brought shadows on the walls – though no one noticed them except for me in passing – showing off the slayers and the slain on both sides. Blood would spatter the walls. It was a slaughter for both sides.

My adrenaline had spurred to life, the new toxins mixing with the original, bringing me back to life. My whole body hummed with it, making me feel unstoppable.

I swung out, and stabbed, and thrust, and chopped, and nicked, and cut, and kicked, and kneed, and elbowed, and every other type of combo out there. There was no exact reason to describe the way I was fighting. Maybe it was because I could barely remember five seconds after felling a monster, or maybe it was because I just didn't really give a shit. I didn't care. All I knew was I was going complete kamikaze.

Then, it all flew away as soon as a fist collided with my ribs. All of the air flew out of me in a whoosh, and I was sent backwards. I hit the stone ground hard, my head banging into the rock. The pain was monumental, rushing through me hard and fast like a tidal wave.

The Strigoi that hit me was grinning like a shot fox as I heaved for air. It began to crouch down, but I was already one step ahead of it. I held up my swords in an 'x' before the bastard could even think, his eyes growing wide in surprise. I was internally freaking out about my lack of air, and quickly sliced the Strigoi's neck, kicking it off of me.

I gasped for air, noticed faintly that my swords were losing their light. That I was losing my light.

Then, someone grabbed my arm, jerking me upwards. The battle seemed to move in real time once again, and reality hit hard. Rose was looking at me in surprise, but I was already spinning around to chop off another head.

"Come on!" Rose yelled, grabbing my arm and pulling me through the swarm of Strigoi, Dhamphir, and Moroi.

"What the hell?" I cried, reaching around to run another Strigoi through, "We're kicking their asses!"

"Are you kidding me?" She demanded. "More like the other way around! There are too many!"

I rolled my eyes, but sprinted after her. I heard the Dhamphirs yelling out, "Fall back!" now as Rose and I squeezed through them.

I realized we were heading for the opposite way of the cave's exit. I stopped running. Rose spun around and looked at me with wild eyes. I frowned, glancing around as I saw the fight we were abandoning.

"Please," She said, and I looked back at her. She was desperate. "I couldn't – I can't leave."

My mind was already made up. I rolled my eyes and waved my arms – swords in hand – in exasperation. "I hate romance." I sighed in defeat.

Relief was obvious in her eyes. "Thank you," she said sincerely, "Thank you –"

"Come along now, Miss Hathaway," I said in irritation, already jogging into a sprint ahead, "You may bask in my excellence later."

She ran after me as we took one of the empty, dark tunnels. The sounds of battle had died behind us, the only thing to hear were our footsteps echoing throughout the cave. My swords glowed in an eerie silvery blue light.

Rose stopped cold when we heard noises ahead. I had to skid to a stop a foot or so in front of her. I straightened up, listening.

Footsteps, light, barely noticeable. Snarling, growling.

I flipped my swords, looking back at her.

Her eyes seemed to say it all. Her fear, her determination. I wondered if I would ever look the same if Meliorn and I were in this same situation. Slowly, she tensed, and the sounds of the Strigoi were only growing closer.

I turned around slowly, letting out a steadying breath.

And there they were.

Before I could even take a step forward, Rose was charging past me.

I grinned, feeling my heart race at the excitement, and ran after her.

She had already sunken her stake into the chest of a Strigoi, following in to the ground. She didn't seem to notice the next one coming at her, so I took the initiative. Because that's just how I roll.

In fact, that's apparently just how I roll quite literally, because I vaulted myself over Rose since the Strigoi was close enough to make a kill. I rolled over her back, Sandalphon slicing through the Strigoi's neck.

Rose fell back due to not expecting my weight, and I merely stumbled a step back (thank the Marks I'd been given in _The Mortal Instruments_, for I would be a klutz without them), before charging forward once more.

I didn't have to go forward that much with the advancing monsters, and I realized I was suddenly surrounded. I spun around, just to make sure, and let out a short breath. _So_ not the way I thought I was going to be spending my Saturday night.

"Madi!" Rose called in a slight panic.

I struck forward with Metatron, thrusting him into the chest of one of the Strigoi, while Sandalphon was going through the neck of another.

"Here!" I yelled back in response anyway.

I felt a light touch on my back, and spun around. With a strangled cry, I jerked Metatron out of the vampire, and spun around with both swords.

Metatron sliced at the next Strigoi's neck, and I whipped Sandalphon around to stab yet another vampire in the chest.

Oh yes, kicking ass and taking names. Life had never made so much sense.

When I found Rose's figure in the fray, she seemed to be holding her own herself. There were only ten Strigoi to deal with, so I wasn't too worried for her sake.

I was actually more worried about when we killed them, that we heard heavier footsteps coming from the way we'd come.

As the last Strigoi died by her hand, and our eyes locked, we shared one of _those looks_.

Yes, it's important to emphasize 'those looks' because it was one of those looks that could only be described as a Hollywood moment. Where one look spoke with more volume than words could.

And our look was one of this: _Oh, god dammit._

Or, if you'd prefer it…

Ready?

Yes, I knew you would be!

It's time for another OSM!

Three huge Dhamphirs were running towards us, grabbing our arms.

"Hey!" I snapped, bucking to get out of one dude's death-like grip. "Hands off! You're screwing with my chi of awesomeness!"

"We have to pull back!" He roared, and I gave him a look that I was pretty sure said, '_What the fuck? Was that seriously necessary?_'

Rose was begging desperately to be released, being pulled back by a woman Dhamphir towards the way we'd come.

"Dude, are you kidding me?" I demanded incredulously. "I am _so_ not one of your little kiddies that you can sling around!"

I froze, pulling my leg back and kicking him in the shin. He immediately dropped his grip as he grunted in pain. I sprang forward and sheathed my swords in their scabbards, spinning around and kneeing him in the chest since he'd doubled over in pain.

"I'll fucking kill you, man!" I yelled. And you know when I small white girl yells that with enough force, you should know she ain't messin' around.

I abandoned that though, and straightened up when I heard more Strigoi. I straightened my jacket out and faced the surprised Dhamphirs, Rose equally shocked. "Now," I said once I'd put myself to rights, "Let's get out of here."

_**.M.I.W.**_

**More confessions of a badass warrior! Not quite the battle scene you guys were expecting, huh? Sorry about that, though in my defense, I felt it was needed.**

**A more psychological chapter for you guys, since we don't have enough. xP**

**For you new readers, OSM means 'oh shit moment,' invented by Madi Verdantia herself.**

**I'm sorry this took so long to get out, but I had another chapter to write for that Legolas story since it's one of the fans' birthdays. I want to be nice and surprise her with a chapter. Then, I wanted to get ahead on some novel writing since I haven't even finished one chapter on the latest installment of the series due to major writer's block.**

**Juggling three stories is… difficult.**


	16. Her Wish

**STOP AND READ THIS FOR IMPORTANT INFORMATION!**

**I'm sorry if this chapter took a while to crank out. I've been extremely busy with things, currently juggling about four stories now, including the internship. The next one to add to our list is a very delayed birthday present for one of my best friends, so it's got a bit of importance and urgency to it that's been taking up a lot of my time.**

**Also, I may not update for a while because I got an editor for my book! Yay! Already one day out of the gate and it's been a lot of fun. This saying, I'm going to be kind of preoccupied with it all so… yeah…**

**Whoot! 60 comments! This will be the most reviewed story in my collection! :D Thanks!**

**ShoutOuts ~**

**Nyx'x Pinky Girl:**** Yeah, it was supposed to be haha. And I agree. Madi needs to get a little humility.**

**Unique Rose:**** Whoa, that's cool that you're learning Russian! Girl, you need some fudge brownies.**

**Crazy4MadHatter:**** Thanks! Battle scenes are my favorite to write!**

**BookNinja15:**** Lol, thank you. And heck yes! Thank you for the name Googling! Wait, what book series are you doing?**

**~ THEMESONGS ~**

_**Ask Me Anything**_** ~ The Strokes **

_**.M.I.W.**_

**16. Her Wish**

I stared up at the ceiling of my room. Daylight poured through a slit in the curtain I kept open, making the room only dimly lit.

The fight had ended quite some time ago, and I had a feeling everyone was now asleep.

My body felt weak from all of that blood loss, now just after my second time of my body trying to wrongfully heal itself. I realized that immediately going back into the fray with everything that had happened earlier today was not such a brilliant idea. Two pure adrenaline rushes in the same day was more taxing than it was helpful.

I finally turned on my side, facing the window and wall, pulling the blanket up above my nose as I stared blankly ahead of me. I wasn't tired. I couldn't find myself sleeping. For one reason or another, I just wasn't really in the mood.

"I see my little Rogue can't sleep."

Cold dread washed through my body like ice water. I flipped over immediately and grappled my two seraphs, and jammed my elbow into the lamp so it would light.

A dull yellow light then filled the room, and a pitifully familiar figure stood leaning against my dresser. He was in his human form that looked only slightly older than me. With the pale blonde hair, skin that was so fair that you could almost see the blood from his black veins, pumping poison throughout his body. Then there were the eyes. The dead giveaway. They were black, even the whites. Just two black, glinting orbs.

Belial.

I narrowed my eyes, gripping the swords tighter in my hands. "_Met_ –"

"Calm yourself, child. If I came here for a fight, you would've been dead." He said calmly.

That was unfortunately true, and I lessened the grip on my swords. "What do you want?" I demanded. "You shouldn't even be here. The wards have been restored."

"It's a thing you would consider… How do you children say it? That's right, above the system." He replied, a smirk on his face. "Now is that any way to treat someone who just gave you the gift no other mortal could ever dream of possessing?"

I rolled my eyes. "As far as I'm concerned, I was something of a mistake, by the way you were going off the last time we met. You remember, when I chopped off your head?"

"An unfortunate way to hold our first meeting, I assure you." He consented. "And you were a mistake."

"Well that just makes a girl's self-esteem grow by six or ten points." I replied sarcastically, dropping my swords back on my rucksack. I didn't have enough energy to stand, and fell back to sitting on my bed.

"But I have been watching you," he went on, "and I realize maybe you aren't so useless after all."

I snorted. "Again, even better. You're just gaining even more value on my list of _People Whose Asses Need Kicking_. I think right now you could even be in the top ten."

He chuckled darkly, which seemed to make the lamp's light flicker. "You always do have a way with words, Rogue."

"Yes, yes, this I know." I retorted dryly. "Now seriously, is there some reason you're pulling a _Twilight_ on me and watching me sleep? I'm glad Stephenie Meyer prepared me for that one, because it's just as creepy as reading it in the book."

Once again, Belial was chuckling. I rolled my eyes.

"Just checking in on my investment." He responded coolly, and my attention perked up a little at that. He looked around the room with a disdainful look on his face. "These are the accommodations you've been given?"

I shrugged. "Well, it's a boarding school kind of thing. Meaning kids sleep here – and don't get any ideas of bringing a couple of your friends to have some sort of all you can eat buffet – so I do with what I have."

"You know you could do quite a bit better than this." The Greater Demon noted dryly. "With your power as well. So far you're wasting it."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "What power? So far these things have just been coming whenever they want –"

"You can call on them." He answered, looking at me with those creepy eyes. I flinched back in response. "Make them come to you, take you where you want to go."

My eyes widened.

A sick smile made his lips curl past his teeth. "Yes, I know about that little Fae of yours. You could see him whenever you wanted. Though, you must know, I'm a little disappointed in you. You could do better than that."

"And I suppose you could do better with your wardrobe than _that_." I sighed dramatically. "I guess we disappoint each other."

His smile fell.

"Seriously," I said, feeling a little more confident. "You look like you stole Draco Malfoy's clothes. You know, the psycho blonde kid from _Harry Potter_?"

"I care not for humanity's trifling entertainment." He waved his hand as if to clear the matter, "Think about my offer, Rogue child. I could teach you how to control your power, and more."

"And what would you get back?" I asked. "Me going to Hell and being some sort of warrior? No thanks."

He shrugged. "Suit yourself. Wonder what it could have been like. To have all of that power. To have the ability to see that little boyfriend of yours whenever you wanted to."

Then, just like that, he turned into a black mist, blowing into nothingness like he'd been controlled by a breeze, leaving me to freak out.

_**.M.I.W.**_

I leaned against the counter and watched as Rose got her tattoo from the battle. It was jet black, with waving but sharp angles in the shape of a four pointed star. She got it done on the back of her neck next to two other small black marks. Even though the pain must've been bad, Rose didn't say anything. She simply looked at the ground like the tattoo artist had said, a hollow look in her eyes.

It'd been two days now since the fight, and Rose must've learned Dimitri had turned Strigoi. She must have been biding her time, waiting for her eighteenth birthday to be able to withdraw from the school.

Of course, she hadn't said anything about this plan to me, or anyone, but I was all right with that. I was still trying to figure out my next move in all of this too. There were big things on my end that I had to consider. Things that I was too scared to even think about.

When the artist pulled back, Rose didn't even say anything, standing up and walking towards the exit.

"You getting one, kid?" The tattoo artist asked me, and Rose paused at the door. I glanced at her, seeing that emotionless gaze that wouldn't tell me anything, and then back at the tattoo artist.

I frowned, seeing the needle and glancing over at Rose. She shrugged. I shrugged. I then turned and walked over to the artist and sat down on the stool. "Sure, man." I replied as I pulled my hair into a bun.

"What's your number?" The tattoo artist asked shortly.

I smiled sadly at the thought. What's my number on what? Vampires? Probably thirty-something. Demons? I would think around fifteen. Erasers from _Maximum Ride_? Three exactly. I knew that one.

But, I decided that this would be my number for all of my kills. And I mean _all_ of them.

"Too many to count." I replied.

_**.M.I.W.**_

My skin was still stinging, and itching from the tattoo. It was driving me insane. Every time I would try and reach up to scratch it, I would curl my hands into fists, and frown.

I'd gotten the molnija star on the back of my neck, just underneath my hairline. When I checked it out in the mirror, I realized that it was pretty badass. In fact, I had decided that the pain of getting it had been worth it, and was a sign to myself that I'd killed more things than I would ever count. I was only going to kill more, and for some reason, that made me kind of jazzed.

"When are you planning on leaving?" I asked as we once again walked around the grounds of the Academy.

Her eyebrows furrowed. "How did you –"

I tapped my finger to my temple. "All-knowing, remember?"

She rolled her eyes and sighed. "Next week."

"You know…" I said. "If you need someone with you, I'm free."

Her eyes widened in surprise. "What –"

"I could help," I went on, "You know, if you need someone to have your back. I can do stuff, you know. Like sneak into places, kill stuff, see the future, et cetera. And, you know, I could save your ass if you ever get in trouble. And I've never seen Siberia, so I think that'd be cool too. I mean, I kind of want to see a tiger –"

"Okay, okay!" She smiled, catching my attention. "You can come."

"Really?"

"Yeah." She laughed. "Just as long as you never ramble like that again."

_**.M.I.W.**_

**Lolz, Belial dresses like Draco Malfoy. XD **

**And no, I'm not going to do a **_**Harry Potter**_** appearance.**

**And yes, Madi just got a tattoo.**

**And yes, we're going into **_**Blood Promise**_**.**

**And yes, this one is going to be longer than all of the others.**

**This chapter is short because I have to do some editing, but I felt bad that I haven't given you guys something in a while. Peace!**


	17. Happy Birthday

**READ FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES.**

**Okay, so, got some needed time to sort through my books. Got a synopsis done for the first and it looks pretty awesome. Just gotta have the editor look at it. **

**Nope, still haven't gotten the first chapter done on the current third book.**

**I had a weird dream where this dude was stalking me, and this other dude that I actually liked (who looked a LOT like Ben Barnes, mind you) was being all defending, or something of that nature. It was kinda cool because I leapt around this huge mall-like building where the dream was based like a free runner. If you don't know what free runners are, I suggest you look them up. Sorry, I just had to mention that.**

**ShoutOuts ~**

**Unique Rose:**** HIZZAH! EXCELLENT! All right, I'm glad you approve!**

**BookNinja15:**** Fluffeh! Yeah, I got it, and I agree. I've been wanting her to get one for a while. Percy Jackson is the PJO one, right? I got chu now! **

**Nyx's Pinky Girl:**** Attempt to start the real business, yes. I have to admit I'm going to be excited for the fan art more than anything. The books are awesome. I absolutely **_**adore**_** the male protagonist. He's kind of like Madi, though not as… tempermental.**

**~ THEMESONGS ~**

_**The Flame**_** ~ The Black Keys**

_**.M.I.W.**_

**17. Happy Birthday**

Rose had been clearly sent on _Mission: Psychotic Rampage_ (Patton!) as she began to pack her things in a rush. I only had my rucksack and swords to deal with, so my task was done in a matter of… thirty seconds.

Finally after thirty _minutes_ of pulling out every single one of her clothes and throwing them next to her bag, she finally picked about a quarter of them and stuffed them in the bag, along with a couple of silver stakes and lighters.

"What about the holy water?" I asked, attempting a joke.

Rose rewarded me with a weird look.

I shrugged offhandedly. "You know, holy water? That kills vampires too… right?"

"I know what you're talking about," Rose said, "We've just never tried it before."

"We'll get some after we leave." I decided, "So we wouldn't create suspicion."

She returned the nod, and slung on her pack. I listened to the sounds of the lighters clinking against the silver stakes. She turned and picked up her transcripts for dropping out.

"We've just got one more stop." She told me as we walked out of her room.

"All right…" I said as I followed her up a flight of stairs.

_**.M.I.W.**_

"So, let me get this straight," Adrian said as Rose and I stood in his room. He was once again drinking from a vodka bottle, looking quite bemused. "You need money –"

"Your money." I corrected him.

"To fund some sort of expedition to save your boyfriend?"

"To kill him, actually." I said with a smile. "And putting me on the team just makes this a worthwhile investment."

He raised an eyebrow, and Rose sighed. "Please?" She asked.

Adrian's gaze flickered from Rose, to me, then back to Rose. After muttering some sort of expletive in exasperation, he pulled himself up and stumbled to his nightstand. There, he picked up his wallet, pulling out a huge sum of cash.

My eyes widened in response as he handed it to Rose. As she took it, their hands brushed, Adrian giving her a serious look that no drunken person could really ever wear. He said something I couldn't hear, and I watched Rose pause, and then nod slightly.

He then turned to me, that lopsided grin I enjoyed seeing on his face was there now. "So, you're going too, Mystery Girl?" He asked as Rose left the room.

I shrugged and nodded. "It wouldn't be in my nature to refuse."

"Of course not." His grin became even wider, if that was possible, and he walked to his nightstand again. This time, he opened the top drawer, pulling out three small boxes.

Cigarettes.

He walked behind me and put them in my rucksack, then took my shoulders and turned me around to face him. "Something for the road. And because we both know she can be a pain in the ass. Take care of her, won't you?" He asked.

"It's the reason why I'm going." I said.

"And yourself?" He suggested.

I smirked at that, elbowing him in the ribs lightly. "Come on, Adrian, we both know that's an impossibility." I walked to the door, seeing Rose just outside. I cast him a last wave. "Catch you on the flipside of this."

_**.M.I.W.**_

The argument for Rose to stay had been futile amongst the staff of the Academy. Rose had all of her papers filled, and handed it to the secretary. Some of the staff probably thought I was to blame, and glared at me like I was. I shrugged it off, and smiled at whoever looked at me the longest.

We were now walking through the grounds of the Academy towards the front gate. We hadn't said anything after turning in the papers, but it was a comfortable silence. We trooped down one of the many rolling green hills, and came across a curious sight.

Lissa Dragomir had also seen us, and paused and posed like she was in some sort of magazine. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion as she walked up to us. I was even more surprised to see that she actually looked kind of pissed.

"So it's true." She said flatly as she stood in front of Rose. "You're leaving."

"News travels fast around here." I noted.

"That, and I left her a note." Rose corrected me.

"Ah…" I nodded.

"Why are you leaving?" Lissa demanded. "You don't have to go –"

"Yes, I do." Rose argued. "It's about time that I've done something for myself."

"Where are you even going?" The blonde girl asked, and I was whipping my head back and forth between their banter.

Rose paused, and I could tell she was thinking her issue over. "I've got some… unfinished business to take care of."

Lissa looked at me with an, 'are you serious' expression. I shrugged helplessly in response. She whipped her head back to Rose, effectively stopping the Dhamphir in moving around the Moroi. "You're… You're going to kill Dimitri, aren't you?"

Rose's eyes widened. I sighed quietly and stuck my hands in the pockets of my jacket.

"I heard what you two were saying. That if one of you turned Strigoi the other would kill you. That's what you're doing, isn't it? Rose, I didn't know you could be so –"

And that's when realization dawned on Lissa at that point. She whipped to look at me incredulously like she was about to ask me something. I shrugged again to convey I had no freaking idea what was going on through her head. She looked back at Rose, that blonde hair flipping back. For a fleeting moment, I thought of how proud Willow Smith would be to know that in this exact moment, someone was embodying her song.

"You're in love with him." She whispered incredulously. "I can't believe I never saw it before. You're in love with him."

"So glad that we got that out of the way," I said as I walked in between the two friends, nudging Rose with my elbow. "Now if we want to get somewhere before night –"

"And you're making her go!" Lissa cried, making me spin around to look at her. "You – You _bitch_!"

My eyebrows shot up in surprise. Half of it being that Lissa wouldn't normally say things like that, and half of it being that no one had ever called me a bitch before. "I'm not making her go anywhere!" I defended myself poorly.

"She's right," Rose said, quickly intervening. "She knew I was going and asked if she could come along. Madi's right, we've got to go. I'll see you soon, Lissa."

I quickly followed Rose when she walked past me, leaving Lissa on her own.

As both Rose and I walked out of the gates of the Academy, I realized that I was facing an unknown. This was going to be as close to my real world as I was getting, and I realized that the time for playing was over. That I was going into an entirely new game with an entirely new set of rules, and I was unprepared.

I stared at the road that stretched before us, fenced with trees and thick woods. Rose had walked a few yards ahead of me, and finally stopped when I wasn't following. She turned around and looked at me. "Coming?" She called.

I nodded and joined her side, both of us walking down the paved road. We were without a basic plan, a way of knowing where Dimitri would be, and had probably around five hundred dollars on us that was supposed to get us to our destination, and hopefully back.

But then I realized something. I was Madi Verdantia. I had fought literal demons. I had dealings with stupid, sparkling vampires and lovesick werewolves. I had wings, for Christ's sake! I'd been cursed by demons of apathy and enhanced with genetic serums that made me puke blood. And I was _still_ alive?

If you had credentials like that, you'd think that you're chances were pretty good too.

"Happy birthday, Rose." I said, breaking the silence of the forest around us.

Rose smiled slightly. "Thanks."

_**.M.I.W.**_

**This chapter was short for a reason.**

**And yes, I plan to make it up to you.**

**DON'T CORRECT ME ON MY SCENE MAKING! THERE ARE THINGS IN THIS BOOK THAT CHANGED BY MADI'S MERE PRESENCE!**

**And no, I've never read **_**Blood Promise**_**. So… I'm gonna need some help. I'm looking over the synopsis on Wikipedia as we speak.**

**I also noticed that a couple of you kiddies visited my Polyvore. Interesting stuff, yes? You noticed the latest outfit? That's actually a sneak-peek-of-sorts into the future. What future? Lawlz, you think Imma tell you?**

**The answer was no, in case you were wondering.**


	18. Wishing Sydney was in Australia

**I just wanted to say thank you all for being so understanding. Just a bunch of crap is going on right now, but I'm reining it all back in. You're all awesome.**

**ShoutOuts ~**

**BookNinja15:**** Thank you haha. Trust me, I have a feeling it's only going to get more fun from here.**

**Unique Rose:**** Yeah… not… for… me… xD Jk. Anyways, thank you so much, read the lower AN's, if you don't mind.**

**Nyx's Pinky Girl:**** People do! It's quite sad, really. Always with the dislocated shoulders, or horrible migraines, or being injected with poison, or given concussions… I could go on! Oh yeah, and he knows how to rack them females up! :D. God, I love that boy. Madi has fanboys? (add an exclamation mark with that question mark!) Lissa is indeed more mad at Madi then Rose, and thank you. My sarcasm loves you too!**

**Crazy4MadHatter:**** Thank you heaps! And refer to the lower AN's!**

**~ THEMESONGS ~**

_**Catch Us if You Can**_** ~ Dave Clark 5**

_**.M.I.W.**_

**18. Wishing Sydney was in Australia**

Russia.

Fascinating.

It was kind of exotic, and awesome.

Now, I'd been across the western United States, so I was no stranger to being in strange places. And, yes, remote California is kind of creepy. Because there's nothing to see for miles (this includes gas stations and the ever elusive Starbucks), and there are crows that look at you like your lunch. But, this being said, I'd never been out of America, let alone having a passport.

With an intelligent thought on my end, we decided to use the Academy's private jet, or whoever owned it, with the price of two hundred bucks. When Rose paid it without question, it freaked me out. When we'd sat down at the very back of the plane during the flight, Rose showed me the money, to prove we had about five _thousand_ dollars, instead of five hundred.

So now we were in Russia, trying in vain to make our way to Siberia. The unfortunate fact was we had no real way of getting there… or which way it was…

It'd been a week since we'd been here, and there was no such luck. Only Strigoi, which were becoming just a little bit _too_ fun to kill.

Rose and I were trekking down an empty sidewalk, only an hour after the sun had set. Rose had suggested heading towards the nearest Moroi nightclub, thinking that maybe she could pull out some information from a Moroi.

But, as we were walking, I was beginning to get a little on edge.

"I really do think someone's following us." I said quietly after we crossed another empty street.

"Madi, for the tenth time – and believe me, I've been counting – I really _don't_ think anyone's following us. You're just being paranoid."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." I rolled my eyes. "I get it, but you can never be too careful, and I'm beginning to think that –"

Rose threw out her arm, hitting me square in the chest. It knocked the air out of me, and I coughed in response, glaring up at her. Her dark eyes were focused ahead though, and I followed her look.

There was a Strigoi ahead, across the street of a swanky looking club. This saying, swanky was on the border of being tacky. It had bright lights and a velvety fuchsia carpet leading inside and a couple of huge bouncers on either side of the entrance.

Then, the Strigoi's eyes locked with us, making both Rose and I pause. Then, it turned the opposite way of the club and streaked off.

"Called it!" I yelped, already running after it.

"Madi –" Rose snapped, on my heels.

We both tore down the alley with ease, and I grinned as I saw the Strigoi ahead. The alley it had run into left at a dead end. It spun around, seeing us. It bared its fangs and snarled in response. I pulled out my swords in a flash and whispered their names.

The Strigoi seemed to see the threat coming, because it had already sprung up to run _on the wall_ like it was off of some reject kung fu movie.

I leapt after it, and threw Sandalphon when it realized that I couldn't get myself up to the thing's height. The blade sunk into the Strigoi's side, making it cry out in pain, and land ungracefully on its stomach.

I ran after it and slid on my knees, Metatron pulled up and readied, slicing through the neck of the beast.

I grinned as I looked up at Rose. "This is totally awesome." I informed her.

She rolled her eyes, and actually let out a genuine laugh. That was a sound I hadn't heard in a while.

"Hold it!" Someone snapped.

Our smiles immediately fell, and Rose and I both looked to the front of the alley.

There was a girl wearing a simple jacket and jeans with a belt that seemed to host quite a few vials. When sparing a glance at Rose, she looked just as bemused as I.

The girl walked straight up to us, seeming even more pissed off than her voice had portrayed.

I raised an eyebrow as I jerked my sword out of the dead Strigoi's side, flipping it calmly as their light dimmed. The girl gave them a weird look, and then focused on both of us. She stared us down for a good two minutes probably, brown eyes dark and angry. Her platinum blonde hair in a tight, serious ponytail.

"Um… can we help you?" I finally decided to ask.

"You certainly can!" She retorted, making me grip my swords tighter in response. "You can help me by telling me if you're the two idiots I've been chasing all over town, leaving a trail of corpses in your wake!"

I gave Rose a look, who simply shrugged in return. Who was this chick? "Uh… guilty?" I admitted.

I slowly looked her up and down, Rose moving closer to me in response. "Do you think she's a reporter?" She asked quietly.

"That would be a _vast_ improvement!" The girl snarled, and pushed past me roughly while pulling out one of those vials in her belt. She crouched down next to the dead Strigoi and sprinkled a few droplets of some liquid over the body, and my eyes widened when it shriveled into some small, unnoticeable lump of char.

She straightened up with a sigh of annoyance, and glared at Rose and I darkly. "You should be lucky!" She fumed. "Who the hell are you? And don't start some bull shit excuse, because I know what _you_ are." She jabbed a finger in Rose's direction.

"You know," I mused, turning the girl's attention on me. "After two seconds of knowing you, I've come to the conclusion that you're a raving, psychotic, over controlling bitch. And I'm not exactly a huge fan of raving, psychotic, over controlling bitches. So get the fuck out of our way. Now."

The girl scowled, her hand raising up to her belt. I tightened the grip on my swords and raised them.

"We're sorry we've caused trouble," Rose quickly intervened, stepping between us. "I'm Rose Hathaway, a Dhamphir from St. Vladimir's Academy."

The girl glared up at Rose, then looked over her shoulder to me. "Who is _she_?" She demanded.

I grinned coldly. "Madi Verdantia, a Rogue."

"_Rogue_?" She scoffed, and looked me up and down slowly. "That explains it. You don't look anything like these bloodsuckers."

"I'm mortal." I responded acidly. "Who are you? I didn't know Girl Scouts took up killing vampires. If you asked me, I would say you should stick with the cookies."

"I am _not_ a girl scout." The girl growled. "My name is Sydney Sage, an Alchemist."

I scoffed in response. "Sydney _Sage_? How did you manage to tag yourself with that alliteration? Sounds like the work of a wannabe scene kid to me."

She narrowed her eyes in response, about to make some biting comment. I quickly took a step forward, but Rose grabbed my shoulders and pushed me back.

"We don't want any trouble…" Rose said calmly, trying to ease her irritation and warn me to back off.

"_Ha_!" I retorted, "Speak for yourself. This chick is just asking for it, and who am I to deny the weak and helpless?"

"Hey!" Sydney snarled.

"Hey yourself," I grinned savagely. "Yeah, in case you didn't catch it, I was talking about you –"

"_Hey_!" Rose barked, pushing me back even harder. I stumbled back a step and sheathed my swords in the process. She quickly turned around to Sydney, an apologetic smile on her face. "Don't worry about her. She has acute anxiety."

I gave Rose in turn my best 'what the fuck' expression. She gave me a look that said, 'just go with it'. I rolled my eyes and folded my arms across my chest, meeting Sydney's gaze.

"Yeah," I drawled sarcastically. "Didn't take my meds today so I'm kind of jumpy. Don't take it personally."

"Whatever." Sydney said abruptly, and led the way out of the alley. "Come with me."

Rose and I exchanged a look, but quickly followed the strange girl who seemed to enjoy playing with a chemistry set.

_**.M.I.W.**_

Of course, many people are total douches in many a universe, as I'd come to know. I just wasn't expecting one to come in the form of some girl who was about my height and had a bad attitude.

Sydney had _continued_ to throw me death glares throughout our time sitting in a small twenty-four hour café. The place was lowly lit, and we sat in the darkest part of the restaurant as we could get.

"So, what exactly are you?" Rose asked.

"I told you," Sydney answered, "I'm an Alchemist."

"And I told you, I don't know what that is." Rose replied. "Is it some Russian word?"

I sighed in deliberate annoyance, making both girls look at me. I shook my head to Rose and laced my fingers together on the table.

"An Alchemist is sort of a magical chemist." I informed Rose, though my eyes were on Sydney. "In earlier times, they thought they could change metal into gold, or create life-prolonging elixirs, or universal cures for diseases using magic."

Sydney raised her eyebrows at that. I wasn't going to make her think that I thought highly of these people, and quickly continued. "Basically, a bunch of wishful thinkers who thought they could turn water into wine, and made other people believe in what they thought was truth."

"I didn't know one of you was smart." Sydney mused.

"Welcome to my world." I retorted quietly. Her dark eyes blazed in indignation.

"You know," Sydney said, leaning forward towards Rose. "I don't like you. The whole group of you, for that matter. A good vampire is a dead vampire, if you ask me." She shot me a look. "They should go on their own, fight their own battles and leave us out of them."

I then saw the cross necklace that fell from her shirt, swinging on her neck like an obvious target. My 'good' nature dropped down another ten or so points. Great. The last thing that I'd wanted to do with was a controversial debate sure to come.

I sighed loudly, and abruptly pulled out Metatron from its scabbard. No one in the restaurant noticed because of the glamour I'd set as soon as we sat down. I placed the sword on the table, allowing Sydney's eyes to grow wide as she drank in the artistic, beautiful, deadly blade's sight.

"This is a seraph blade." I informed her. "I'm quite positive you of all people knows what that means. For them to work properly, you must give them a name. This one is Metatron. His twin brother, Sandalphon. Before you ask, I am not apart of them, but let's just say I'm a very… close cousin."

She slowly reached out with one hand to touch the blade, but I quickly pulled it back and sheathed it.

"Whether we like it or not, you and I, Sydney Sage, are apart of the same team. Two threads woven in the same metaphorical cloth. It is my duty to protect this Dhamphir, and somehow I think you can be of use to us."

She nodded quickly, still having that hero worship in her eyes.

"Now," I leaned forward, inwardly satisfied at how she'd followed my move. "Which way is it to Siberia?"

_**.M.I.W.**_

**I would kind of like some info on Sydney Sage. Just send me the info in my PR's, because the **_**Vampire Academy Wiki**_** isn't all that helpful. Thank you!**

**And yes, the feud between Sydney Sage and Madi Verdantia will be one of epic proportions. I've been kind of excited about their meeting.**


	19. Siberia and the IFTWES

_**From now on, ShoutOuts are going to be in the lower AN's.**_

**I'M GOING ON VACATION! **

**So I the next chapter won't be up for maybe, possibly, quite a few days.**

**I got some stuff done! I got some stuff done!**

**Wrote the first chapter of my third book in the series, wrote a full timeline for one of the main characters, and separated chapters for another book.**

**Hey, who knows who's playing Simon in the **_**City of Bones**_** movie? Because if it's Xavier Samuel, I think my soul will die. He's supposed to be in MY movie, playing my lead character.**

**After watching some **_**Supernatural**_**, I realized Madi is a LOT like Dean Winchester ;D**

**~ THEMESONGS ~**

_**Fear of Sleep **_**~ The Strokes**

_**.M.I.W.**_

**19. Siberia and the IFTWES**

Rose and I waited in a busy train station where Sydney had told us to meet her. I folded my arms across my chest and leaned against one of the columns.

"What if she ditched us?" Rose asked.

"I doubt it." I replied, though I was unsure myself. She said ten o'clock exactly, and it was sometime in the nine-fifty range.

A train slowly pulled to a stop next to us, and I turned to look at the time on the large, overhanging clock. Nine-fifty-nine.

"Well?" A new voice popped up.

Rose and I jumped, and I spun around while reaching back for my sword. I quickly dropped my hand and sighed in indignation.

Sydney Sage smirked. "Are you guys just going to stand around like a bunch of stoners? Though, I suppose I wouldn't put that past _you_." She added to me.

"Come on," I drawled sarcastically, "It's my favorite hobby, _man_."

"I'm sure." She rolled her eyes, drawing her own backpack further over her shoulder. "Ready?" She asked, walking ahead of us before we could even answer.

We simply watched. She didn't even turn to see if we were catching up. Somehow, I don't think she really cared.

"Sometimes I wonder if she's for real or not." Rose mused.

I shrugged. "Well, one way to find out." I said as I walked after her. I turned halfway to to see Rose still hanging back. "To Siberia?" I suggested.

She let out a sigh and walked after me. "To Siberia." She replied.

_**.M.I.W.**_

So…. Let's take a second to talk about Siberia.

It's pretty damn deserted.

…

Oh, were you expecting more? Well, that's pretty much it. It literally does take a second to talk about it.

Sure, there are lots of trees and clear lakes, green grass, mountains with snowcaps. No tigers.

… Yet…

This saying, I'm not leaving Siberia until I find a tiger. It's official.

Like, _so_ official, that I plan to make a Facebook date just to prove it.

I think I'll call it: International Find a Tiger Week for Everyone in Siberia – IFTWES for short.

Seriously, I'll make T-shirts, bandannas, caps, wrist bands, and little stuffed tigers with IFTWES shirts – just for good measure.

I can see kids and their parents now, lining up outside of the forests of Siberia adorned with their IFTWES apparel.

"I wanna find a white one, an orange one, a black one…" A kid will say.

_Ha_! Stupid child! There aren't even such _things_ as black tigers!

…

Okay, clearly, I've given this a little too much thought.

Curse a rapid mind who is literally being bored to death in a rickety old plane! Nerves plus boredom equaling creepy as fuck thoughts, yes? Fuck yes!

No one had really spoken for the trip because Rose and I were still wary about Sydney. And she wasn't exactly a delight either.

"You look like you're about to have a psychotic breakdown." Sydney informed me, and I looked over at her. Her eyes met mine equally. "Did you take your meds today?" She asked innocently.

I gave a quiet, twisted-sounding laugh at that, just to freak her out.

_**.M.I.W.**_

It was nightfall by the time the plane had made it to Siberia's small airport. We quickly made our way into the small airport hangar, where I found the flight secretary.

She was a middle-aged woman with trampy makeup and blood red, long nails. She was having a long, in depth conversation with someone on the phone using a rather husky, sultry voice.

She trailed a blood red nail along the papers on her desk, caressing them.

"Ech, geez," I snorted, the three of us watching the woman twitch and quirk herself. A squeal escaped her suddenly, and I shuddered. "Okay, who's going to… er… snap her out of it?"

When no one responded, I turned around to look at them. Their eyes were locked on me. I rolled my eyes. "Figures."

I quickly walked up to the desk, the woman still not taking notice because her chair had been turned to face three quarters away from us. And trust me, even though she was saying things in Russian, my cheeks were beginning to get flushed and the tips of my ears were beginning to burn.

"Uh, excuse me." I said, knocking on her desk.

She started and turned around immediately, a dark look in her eye. I waved halfheartedly. She looked me over, then said something tersely in Russian before adding something sexy on the line, and then hung up.

The woman asked something shortly in Ruissian, and I could only widen my eyes in response.

"Uh… No sprackin zhee Russian?" I said unhelpfully.

She snorted and haughtily sat up. "American." She mused. "Vhat do you vhant, child?"

"Will there be another mode of transportation to take us from here?" I asked. "Bus, mule? We're open to anything."

Her haughtiness immediately deflated at that, and she narrowed her eyes. "No bus comes till morning. Zher are no hotels for mile. You will have to sleep here."

"Er… thanks." I said, though there was nothing really to thank with her response.

I quickly made my way back to Sydney and Rose, shrugging in response. "We're going to have to sleep here." I announced. "The next bus comes tomorrow morning."

I then pointed to Sydney. "Don't kill me in my sleep." I warned.

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

_**.M.I.W.**_

**A short chapter for you guys. I'm sorry. Truly. I do plan to make it up to you, promise.**

**Um… can someone tell me what happens in Siberia when Rose meets Dimitri's family? Like how she meets them, does Sydney stay (btw, when does she leave), how does Rose get into an argument-type-thing with Dimitri's sister, and how does Rose **_**specifically**_** meet the Dhamphir and Moroi couple (not like that, but you get me).**

**Maybe I should just get the book.**

**IFTWES LIVE ON!**

**ShoutOuts ~**

**BookNinja15:**** Ah, thank you! I owe you guys a heap! Thank you and I laughed while writing about Sydney being a 'wannabe scene kid'.**

**LoverGurl10621:**** Lmao, go groups! HI GUYZ! *waves* Ah… Darek… You're weird, but cool. And thanks, it will only get better with Madi and Sydney from here.**

**Crazy4MadHatter:**** Thanks, Hatter. You rock my socks off!**

**Nyx's Pinky Girl:**** Yes… I feel so horrible for him sometimes. But, other times when he seems to have a mental orgasm over how delicious a cookie is, I decide it's worth it. xD Awesome! Loving this information! Thanks!**


	20. The Universe Folds

**I've always loved Patrick Stump's voice. Just thought you should know.**

**Damn horrible rap for making me an indie-junkie.**

**That's all, folks!**

**~ THEMESONGS ~**

_**New Perspective**_** ~ Panic! at the Disco**

_**.M.I.W.**_

**20. The Universe Folds**

_God… I was back._

_Back in – quite literally – black._

_As in the strange black world I was in. Where there was no dimension, no life. Just a flat, strange expanse of blackness._

_A dark snarl came from behind me. Once again, I felt as though I should react, but didn't. Something cold brushed against my legs. Finally, for a moment, it seemed like the real me took control, and I spun around to see what it was._

_Once again, nothing was there._

_Above me was a chortle. I could feel something swoop just over my head and tousle my hair. The dream took over me once again. I lazily looked up. Nothing was there._

_My heart was beating so loud. That sickening dread washed over me, begging for this not to be what I thought it was. Again._

_Large, cold, clawed hands grasped my arm, and I turned to see a pair of yellow eyes glaring menacingly back. There was no body to it except for the even darker blackness. My heart nearly stopped as pure fear washed through me, making me grow still. That thing was back._

"_Who are you?" I demanded._

"_Come with us, Madi." The voice that seemed to belong to the darkness answered instead. It came from everywhere. _

_It wasn't really like I had a choice, anyhow. I began to step forward once again, my heart racing even faster. Once again, I couldn't seem to make myself stop._

_"Come, take the fall. This is what you wanted, isn't it?" The voice continued to say in that seductive reasoning. The reasoning that tempted me to teeter along the edge. It made my spine crawl._

_There were chortles, snarls, howls, growing louder and louder, more excited as the thing holding my arm pulled me forward. It was almost deafening now._

_I didn't even try to stop it, even though my mind was begging me to. The cold of the shadow things swooping, twirling, curling around me and above me didn't even stop me from walking._

_This time, I realized it was a slow, deliberate pace. Just like – _

No… No, no, NO! NO!_ I screeched at myself. _MAKE IT STOP! MAKE IT STOP! YOU FUCKING MORON, STOP THIS!

"_Come with us, Madi." The same demonic voice pleaded, a low snarl emanating from the voice. It didn't come from one source, echoing around me, driving me forward in the same painful slowness as the shadow thing holding my arm guided me. "You want this, we know you do. We know everything. Everything…"_

_"Fall, Madi," The same voice pleaded. "Fall. You want this. It will be easy. Just fall. Relax… Fall…"_

I opened my eyes, my whole body frozen as I stared up at the dark ceiling of the airport. My heart raced in my chest, but I made no move to leap up and do something ridiculous. It was just a dream. Once again, it was just a dream.

After a few moments of collecting myself, I straightened up to a sitting position, rolling my shoulders back to pop them. I looked outside of the large glass doors to see the sun had not even risen, and then down to my side to see Rose in a deep sleep.

Then, looking back up, my eyes locked with Sydney's.

She was wide awake, a small, thick book in her hands.

"God, you're weird." I said.

"So glad _those_ feelings are mutual." She rolled her eyes.

"Don't you even sleep?" I demanded, ignoring the jab. I had it coming with the way I set myself up like that.

"Obviously not with her in the same room." She nodded to Rose.

I attempted to stifle my laughter, which ended up as being a snort. "But me you're comfortable with?"

She shrugged. "Like you said, we're on the same team."

And that was when – quite suddenly (don't you just love the instant gratification of my life?) – a portal appeared before our eyes, illuminating the room with its eerie silvery white light. The portals were always strange things to me, looking like shards of glass held clustered together with some strange invisible string.

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion, but scrambled up to my feet.

"What is that?" Sydney demanded in a stage-whisper.

I smiled as I pulled my rucksack on my shoulders, tightening the straps accordingly. I snapped the collar of my jacket to stand up.

"That, dearest alchemist friend of mine, is a portal. I travel though them, you see." I informed her while flipping my hair out of my collar and behind my shoulders. "Killing things, being a badass, my usual."

I turned around to see Rose still out like a light, then up at Sydney. Her eyes were wide with surprise.

"I have to go now." I said calmly, still smiling. "Tell Rose that she's got nothing to worry about. And get over your issues with her. I completely agree with you on not trusting them, trust that at least. They can't fight worth a shit, and I've got the stab mark to prove it. But… she's not like the other Dhamphirs."

She looked at me in surprise.

I smirked. "Food for thought."

I waved slightly as I walked towards the portal. "Peace out, Sydney Sage."

And with that, I stepped through it.

_**.M.I.W.**_

**O.O**

**Read the next post to understand.**


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